Bengaluru, Jan 11 (DHNS): The State BJP on Sunday decided to face the upcoming zilla and taluk panchayat elections under collective leadership.

Briefing reporters about the decisions taken at a meeting of party MLAs, MLCs and MPs, BJP spokesperson C T Ravi said local issues and local leadership are important in the panchayat polls. Hence, the party leaders unanimously decided to entrust the responsibility to MLAs, MLCs, defeated candidates of the party in the last Assembly elections and MPs. The party will bring out a separate manifesto for each district, he added.

He said the panchayat elections are crucial for the party, which is aiming to wrest power from the ruling Congress in the next Assembly polls.

The party has, therefore, taken it seriously and started early preparations. A detailed action plan has been drawn up to strengthen the party in the run up to the zilla and taluk panchayat polls, likely to be held next month, he added.

Nine different teams of the party leaders have been set up to tour the State from January 11 to 14. It has been decided to entrust the responsibility of selecting the candidates for the taluk panchayat polls to the party’s district units. For the zilla panchayat elections, the State unit will finalise the candidates in consultation with the district units, he added.

Ravi said the party leaders will highlight the “failure” of the Congress government during the election campaign.

The State government has “failed” to provide relief to the farmers who are reeling under drought. Though the Centre had sanctioned Rs 1,540 crore, the State delayed releasing the money to the affected farmers, he charged.

People in rural areas are suffering due to the scarcity of water and power supply. The distressed farmers are committing suicide.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his ministerial colleagues have not bothered to visit any of the affected places so far, he charged.