Union Ministers V Somanna, HD Kumaraswamy, Prahlad Joshi and Shobha Karandreje are felicitated by BJP leaders including former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, state Chief Minister BY Vijayendra and LoP R Ashoka at the palace grounds in Bengaluru on Saturday, June 22, 2024. (Photo: Express)
BENGALURU: Having tasted the success of their alliance in the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP and JDS leadership on Saturday sounded the trumpet for the BBMP, ZP and TP elections.
The election is crucial for strengthening the core base of both parties across the state, suggesting that the two are likely to continue their alliance until the next state elections in Karnataka. Both parties have vowed to maintain the momentum to give the ruling Indian National Congress a cold shoulder as it prepares for the next elections.
The felicitation event organised by the state BJP unit at the Palace Grounds for 19 NDA MPs, including five ministers, was a testament to the future political endeavours of both the parties and the BJP leadership has apparently given its approval for the continuation of the alliance.
“Next come the district panchayat and taluk panchayat elections which will empower party workers. We have to tackle them responsibly. Let us all work hard. In the Congress too, let us work together to defeat the Congress’ arrogance,” BJP state leader BY Vijayendra said.
He said he will be touring the state after the end of the assembly session to organise the party for the upcoming elections. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the state five ministerial posts in the central government and they will take note of the work that needs to be done for the state along with the Congress leaders,” he said.
BJP Central Parliamentary Committee member and former chief minister BS Yediyurappa said the BJP-JDS alliance should work together in the BBMP, ZP, TP and gram panchayat elections. “We have to show our strength by winning these elections along with the JDS,” he said.
Yediyurappa said the “false” assurances of the Congress Party, corruption, mismanagement and lack of development should be highlighted to the people. “Despite promising false assurances to biased people, the Congress Party failed to win double-digit seats in the LS polls,” he said.
Union Minister of State for Railways Jal Shakti V Somanna said the alliance would work out well for the ZP and TP elections as the leaders of both the parties would amicably settle the matrix of seat allocation.
Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka feels the rise in fuel prices will be the death knell for the ruling Congress in the state.
Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Prahlad Joshi said the LS election results were a clear blow to the BJP government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, barely a year after the state assembly elections. “Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar should have resigned given the Maharshi Valmiki Development Corporation scandal. We have to work hard to defeat the corrupt and anti-Hindu BJP government,” he said.
