Bantwal: Committed mistake in last elections, will not repeat - Yeddyurappa

Mounesh Vishwakarma
Pics: Kishore Peraje
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP)

Bantwal, Jan 27: Former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, who recently came back into the BJP fold, on Sunday January 27 said that BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was not chosen by the party but the people of the country themselves have decided that he should be the next Prime Minister.

He was speaking at the concluding ceremony of the 13-day padayatra ‘Gramadedega BJP Nadige’ (a walk towards villages) led by BJP leader Ulipadiguthu Rajesh Nayak.

Yeddyurappa asked the party workers not to wait for Modi and instead become Modi themselves and spread his thoughts.  "When Modi comes to Mangalore on February 18, at least five lac people should gather there and show that we are with him," he said.

Criticizing the rule of Congress in the state and at the center throughout his speech, he said, "The Congress party is trying to divide the society by sowing the poisonous seeds of communalism. There is a threat to the unity and integrity of the country.  The Congress party has no guts to nominate their candidate against Narendra Modi." He added that Modi should be supported wholeheartedly in the interest of the nation.

"The projects started by BJP are still continuing with the funds allotted by the then BJP government. The Congress government has not released any funds for development works. The government has gone bankrupt and the year 2013-14 has been a zero in terms of development.

"If we had not committed a mistake during the last elections, nobody could have moved us for the next twenty years. The mistake should not recur in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.  The fact that the Congress government lacks leadership, and is irresponsible and inefficient has created a conducive atmosphere for BJP.  However, the party should not rest easy but convince the electorate to vote for its candidates," he said.

Perhaps hinting at his own comeback, he said the party leaders should bring people who have remained away and unite the party.
He called upon the BJP party leaders to elect a suitable candidate for Bantwal constituency for the upcoming elections after taking into consideration the opinions of the party activists.

Praising the 13-day padayatra led by Rajesh Naik, he said that it is but natural to have a padayatra before elections,  however, to hold such walks after losing the elections is the first in the history of Karnataka. "We have conveyed a message by our padayatra and filled the workers with enthusiasm.  Let it be an inspiration for the unity of the party," he said.

"Congress party leaders have still not mentally accepted that Siddaramaiah is the chief minister of the state. Some cabinet ministers have shared their feelings with me. You (Siddaramaiah) became the chief minister due to our (BJP) mistakes.  We will never be committing such mistake again," he asserted.

Former minister Shobha Karandlaje said, "Today we face the danger of losing the freedom we earned 67 years ago.  There is no security on our borders.  The Prime Minister of our country is silent despite increasing terrorism and Naxalism in the country."

Former minister C T Ravi said that when BJP was in power in the state, they did not pick a project based on religion and caste.  "The Congress which had divided the country for votes in the year 1947 is now dividing the society. The Prime Minister is following the lessons of three monkeys. He cannot see the corruption taking place in the country and he is not speaking about it," he said.

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel also spoke.

Rajesh Naik, organizer of the programme said, "The padayatra was held to repay the debt of party workers but the love and service by them have increased my debt."

Former Vidhana Sabha speaker N Yogish Bhat, former minister Nagaraja Shetty, BJP district president Pratap Simha Nayak, state vice-president Sulochana Bhat, MLCs Monappa Bhandary, Capt Ganesh Karnik, Bharathi Shetty, former MLAs Rukmayya Poojary, Padmanabha Kothari, Kumble Sundara Rao, Prabhakara Bangera, zilla panchayat members Shailaja Bhat, Chennappa Kotian, district vice-president Devadasa Shetty, Thungappa Bangera, Sanjiva Mathandooru, Vikas Puttur, Ravindra K, Ranjan Gowda, Shrikara Prabhu, former president of town municipal council Dinesh Bhandary, taluk panchayat member Dinesh Umtoor, Purusha Salian Netharakere, Prathviraj and others were present at the dais.

Kshetra samithi president Ananda welcomed, secretary Devappa Poojary proposed vote of thanks.  Ramadasa Bantwal compered the programme.

When Rajesh Naik was getting ready to felicitate Yeddyurappa, the latter took the shawl and garland from him and put it around Rajesh Naik.  The gathering applauded in appreciation.    

Talented student Geetha Shetty and senior party activist Kshetra committee president G Ananda were felicitated at the programme by presenting fruits and flowers. Thousands of activists participated in the programme.