No Setback to Operation Lotus, BJP’s Vote Share Increased : Yeddy
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
BANGALORE, Aug 21: Hiding the discomfiture caused by the defeat of Housing and Muzrai Minister V Somanna and C P Yogeshwar, who had quit their assembly seats won on Congress ticket to join BJP under its ``Operation Lotus’’ and sought to win back the seats on the saffron banner, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa claimed the outcome of the bye-elections to the five constitutencies was not a setback.
``Our vote share has increased in all constituencies and we have emerged victorious in two seats,’’ he said talking to reporters on Friday after his return from Shimla for attending the party’s national executive meeting.
He was happy at the results, which he said indicated the almost complete rejection of the Congress party by the people despite the return of UPA government at the Centre.
``There is strong an anti-Congress wave in the state. The people have reposed their faith and trust in BJP,’’ he said claiming that his party would have ``easily won two more seats if we had worked a little hard.’’
The Chief Minister, who drove to the residence of Somanna soon after his return from Delhi, was non-committal when asked about the resignation of the minister following his shock defeat in the by-elections against Congress party’s Vijayanagar MLA Krishappa’s young son, Priyakrishna.
``We will take a decision after consulting senior colleagues and party leaders tomorrow. I will inform you (media) about the decision,’’ he said.
``It was unfortunate that our party nominees in Govindarajangara and Channapatna were defeated by a narrow margin,’’ he said alleging that ``they were the victims of money power, muscle power and caste factor.’’
The Chief Minister accused the Congress and JD(S) of hatching a conspiracy to trounce the two BJP candidates in Govindarajanagar and Channapatna besides campaigning by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda.
He contended that the Congress-JD(S) conspiracy did not work in Chittapur and Kollegal due to the strong popular support of the pro-poor and pro-people policies of his government, especially in favour of the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward classes. Winning the Chittapur seat in Gulbarga, held by Union Labour Minister Mallikarjuna Kharge with an enviable record of winning seven consecutive times in the state assembly, against Kharge’s son Priyank is a big achievement, he said.
``None of the five seats were won by BJP in the 2008 assembly elections,’’ he said pointing out that he was not interested in any certificates from the opposition but popular support.