Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (UM/RJP)

"BJP will highlight achievements of erstwhile Yeddyurappa-led BJP goverment"

Udupi, Jan 11: "Siddaramaiah will be the last Congress chief minister of Karnataka. BJP is ready to face elections any time in the state," said former minister and BJP state spokesperson Suresh Kumar on Monday, January 11.

Suresh Kumar was speaking in a press meet held at the district BJP office in Udupi. The press meet was attended by Udupi-Chikkamagaluru member of parliament Shobha Karandlaje, Dakshina Kannada member of parliament Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary and former MLC Monappa Bhandary. They are part of the team or task force created to look after the party's preparations in Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Chikkamagaluru districts for the forthcoming zilla panchayat and taluk panchayat elections. A total of 9 such teams have been constituted by the BJP in the state.

"BJP has a simple and straightforward strategy. We will highlight the achievements of the erstwhile Yeddyurappa-led BJP government and the inefficiency of the present Siddaramaiah-led Congress government. We have great hopes this time. We had won 17 seats out of 25 in the Udupi zilla panchayat elections last time, and 58 of the 117 seats in the state taluk panchayat elections. Our hopes are greater this time," Suresh Kumar added.

"The Election Commission has fixed the dates, but the government is planning to postpone the elections as it does not have any agenda. They are trying to schedule the elections after April citing various reasons like exams. But whatever their tactics, we are ready to face the elections. First we will have party workers' meeting and then we will have party leaders' meeting. Both meetings will discuss the election strategies. We have different manifestos for district and state for the forthcoming elections. Yeddyurappa governments' achievements are our assets. We will also tell the people how miserably Siddaramaiah government has failed in the state," Suresh Kumar said.

"The state is facing the worse problems ever. It is a series of failures. Siddaramaiah is good only at criticizing the Modi government. He has completely forgotten about the state. The handling of the Upalokayukta case is a good example. It has sent wrong signals about the motives of the government. Even in case of Lokayukta appointment, Justice Vikramjit Sen was chosen and the appointment was also communicated to him by the law minister over the phone. But now Siddaramaiah wants another person to be the Lokayukta. We are again going to lose the chance to have a good Lokayukta.

"We have have already completed 32 out of the 60 months, with 28 months remaining. Al least now the government should wake up and act with the interest of the people in mind. Minister H K Patil said that he would resign if the drinking water problems are not solved in the state by March. But only 15 to 20 percent of the proposed amount has been spent so far on water. This shows the intentions and motives of the state government. Siddaramaiah is going to be last the chief minister of Congress government in the state," he said.

"BJP has many leaders, unlike Congress. We have democracy in the party. While we project the achievements of Yeddyurappa-led government, we will not single out any leader for the elections. We believe in mass and multiple leadership," Suresh Kumar concluded.

District BJP president Tingale Vikramarjuma Hegde and former MLA Raghupati Bhat were also present.