Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Mar 3: Speaking at a press conference held in the residence of Kaup MLA Lalaji R Mendon on Monday March 2, BJP state unit president D V Sadanand Gowda said that the second list of the party candidates for the remaining Loksabha constituencies will be released by the BJP by Friday March 6. He added that the party is ready with the list of all of its Loksabha candidates and may keep on hold the names of a couple of its candidates from constituencies, where the party would like to bide time before waiting for possible last minute developments, before making an official announcement.
The Congress and the JD (S) which have been unable to bear the defeat they faced in the last assembly election are trying to strike an unholy alliance with the sole objective of defeating the BJP. However, this alliance will turn out to be to our advantage. Workers have already been involved with pre-poll work and the party may win 20 to 23 seats in the state, he analyzed.
The BJP's manifesto includes relevant issues like terrorism, price rise, vote bank politics and the scourge of religious conversions, as against which, the Congress does not seem to be having any important issues on hand. It is planning to centre around church attack and pub attack issues as the most important problems, he decried.
Resenting Kharge's remarks against Advani's address at the anti-terrorism rally, he advised the Congressmen not to stick to the politics of appeasement but brace up to face terrorism unitedly. The Congressmen should clarify as to whether they are in favour of, or against terrorism, he demanded.
"The BJP lays stress on value-based politics. Being the state president, I have to tour all the 28 Loksabha constituencies in the state for campaigning. Under the instructions of the party's leadership, I have agreed to enter the fray from Udupi-Chikmagalur constituency, which is facing problems like sea erosion, naxal menace etc., and also to provide solace to fishermen and farmers of the constituency who are facing various problems," he said, adding that he would have fought the election from any other constituency if he had been asked to do so by the party national leadership.
Kaup MLA Lalaji R Mendon, Fisheries Corporation president Ramachander Bykampady, Malnad Development Corporation president Padmanabh Bhat, district unit vice-president Shankar Poojary, leaders Jerald Fernandes, Sheela Shetty etc were present.