Karnataka: Amit Shah chairs BJP core committee meeting in Bengaluru, discusses poll strategy

Karnataka is scheduled to go to polls later this year.

BJP National Organizing General Secretary BL Santhosh, co-in-charges Man Sukh Mandaviya, Annamalai, CM Basavaraj Bommai, ex-CM BS Yediyurappa, Union Minister Prahlad Joshi, State President Naleen Kumar Kateel, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje and other core committee and election management committee members were present in the meeting.

Earlier on Sunday, Amit Shah lauded Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and his immediate predecessor and BJP veteran BS Yediyurappa stating that both have provided "good governance" during their respective tenures.

Citing the developmental work done by the BJP government under both chief ministers, Shah urged the people to form the party's government with a full majority in the upcoming Assembly elections slated this year.

"Earlier under Yediyurappa and now under the leadership of Basavaraj Bommai, the Prime Minister has given an impetus to Karnataka's development with a sense of team India in the last four years. During Yediyurappa's tenure, I congratulate him for the way he managed the COVID preparation. I used to interact with Chief Ministers of various states then via video conference. It was a matter of concern to save Bengaluru from COVID. But the way Yediyurappa managed the situation is commendable. After Bommai came, he carried forward good governance like Yediyurappa," the Union Home Minister said.

He said that the BJP government will take the state forward not just in the country but in the world."I want to tell the people of Karnataka that you gave 104 seats in the last elections, we fell short of the majority mark because of which one and a quarter years were wasted. I urge you to form the BJP government with a full majority. I assure you that the double-engine government will take Karnataka ahead not just in India but in the world," he said.

Shah further lauded the Karnataka government's decision to scrap the four per cent OBC reservation for Muslims and distribute it to dominant communities, Veerashaiva-Lingayats and Vokkaligas and said that the government's move was according to the Constitution which earlier (reservation based on religion) was against the Constitution.

Taking a swipe at Congress, the Shah said that Karnataka does not need a party whose leaders indulge in conflicts over the chief minister's post.

"Karnataka does not need parties which have a conflict on who will become the chief minister. It needs a team of patriots like the BJP which works under the leadership of PM Modi. Today is a historic day for the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. Today, the statues of Lord Basavanna ji and Kempegowda ji, who spread the message of India to the whole world, have been unveiled here. These statues will give the message of democracy, social justice and good governance to the representatives coming to the assembly," he said. (ANI)