Karnataka is in election mode as BJP’s national president Amit Shah and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi are in Karnataka to work out plans for ensuing Assembly polls which is crucial for both the parties.
Amit Shah, as per the plans announced a month back arrived in Bengaluru on Saturday and said he has come here to gear up his party for the 2018 Assembly elections. He did not mince words to party workers and said “I have come here to prepare my party for 2018 assembly polls.” In his brief speech he said "Brothers and sisters, I have nothing much to say today, except-ab ki baar, BJP sarkar.”
“I am hopeful that the way the party, for the last five years, has been fighting against the corrupt, Oppressive and polarising rule of the Congress, the people of this great state of Karnataka have decided to vote the BJP to power,” he said.
He said he had come here to realise the resolution of forming the next BJP government in Karnataka. “I have come here amidst BJP workers to realise ‘Ab Ki Baar, BJP Sarkar’ (This time, a BJP Government) resolution,” he added. He said when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘VijayRath’ (victory chariot) would reach Karnataka in next February- March, party workers should be ready with their quest to make inroads into the southern India by winning the Karnataka Assembly polls.
Amit Shah is here on his three day political visit to work out a strategy for the saffron party ahead of assembly polls. The party chief is expected to discuss lot of issues which include infighting between two factions led by State party president BS Yeddyurappa and KS Eshwarppa which has dented the image of the party.
Meanwhile at Raichur in north Karnataka, Rahul expressed confidant that the Congress will come back to power because of the good work done by the Siddaramaiah Government. Addressing the party’s ‘Samanata Samavesha’ (Equality Conclave) rally in Raichur he said, “Once elected for the next five year term, our Government will continue the good job and deliver even more for the Dalits, tribals, backward classes, farmers and anyone in need of help.”
Criticising the BJP Government at the Centre, he said, “look at the Make in India programme. Has any factory been opened, or jobs created under this programmeIJ The Congress Governments deliver on their promises. And that’s the difference between us and them”.
“On Nov 08 last year he (Modi) came on TV and said ‘brothers and sisters, we are going to invalidate the currency notes in your pockets.’ But the impact of demonetisation is being felt even to today,” he said.
“Arun Jaitley recently told the Parliament that the government’s policy is against loan waivers. They say loan waivers would make farmers lazy. What kind of argument is thisIJ” asked congress vice president.
At this juncture the appeasement politics to the hilt by ruling congress and the chief minister Siddaramaiah has consolidated backward classes and dalits. Apart from this the issue of a separate religion status for lingayats, the vote bank of the BJP triggered by the congress is another important issue Amit Shah is going to deal with it.
Shah said "Our effort will ensure that the people of the State, who have decided that enough is enough, would elect a BJP Government in Karnataka."
Putting an end to speculation Amit Shah declared Yeddyurappa as the next Chief Minister and asked the party to come together and ensure that BS Yeddyurappa wins the 2018 elections and form a BJP Government. He lauded the party's performance as the opposition in contrast to a "corrupt" Congress Government.
Amit Shah’s backing to Yeddyurappa is a warning to KS Eshwarappa who is leading a section of the disgruntled leaders.
lingayat strong man Yeddyurappa has been facing criticism over his “arbitrary” style of functioning with some party leaders expressing their unhappiness with him. Shah’s programmes during his three-day stay include interaction with intellectuals, meeting religious leaders, state functionaries, legislators, MPs, and leaders of Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
Earlier in the day state unit welcomed Shah at the airport in the presence of senior leaders Yeddyurappa, Eshwarappa, Union ministers Ananth Kumar and DV Sadananda Gowda, Jagadish Shettar, R Ashoka and CT Ravi.
Meanwhile at Raichur in north Karnataka Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi expressed confidant that Congress will come back to power because of the good work done by Siddaramaiah government. Addressing the party’s ‘Samanata Samavesha’ (Equality Conclave) rally in Raichur he said “Once elected for the next five year term our government will continue the good job and deliver even more for the dalits, tribals, backward classes, farmers and anyone in need of help.”
He came down on BJP government at Centre and said “ look at the Make in India programme. Has any factory been opened, or jobs created under this programmeIJ Congress governments deliver on their promises. And that’s the difference between us and them”.
“On Nov 08 last year he (Modi) came on TV and said ‘brothers and sisters, we are going to invalidate the currency notes in your pockets.’ But the impact of demonetisation is being felt even to today,” he said.
“Arun Jaitley recently told the Parliament that the government’s policy is against loan waivers. They say loan waivers would make farmers lazy. What kind of argument is thisIJ” asked congress vice president.