New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held a 15-minute meeting. With former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa on the sidelines of the BJP’s National Executive.
Karnataka is one of the states going to elections this year. The electoral strategy for these nine states was the main agenda of the ongoing two-day executive meeting in New Delhi. Which is attended by Prime Minister Modi and key party leaders and ministers.
Since being ousted from the top post in Karnataka – the only southern state where the BJP has made an inroad – Mr Yeddyurappa. Who has a large base of Lingayat supporters, has kept a low profile. But as the election nears, the BJP’s key strongman in the south has been elevated. To the Parliamentary Board – the party’s highest decision-making body.
The meeting with Prime Minister Modi has fueled speculation. About a change in fortunes for the four-time Karnataka chief minister.
Mr Yeddyurappa’s successor, Basavaraj Bommai, has been in the news more for the wrong reasons than the right ones.
Mr. Bommai’s tenure at the top post was seen in shaky ground last year. As the opposition leveled corruption charges against him and launched the PayCM campaign. But the party maintained that there would be no change and would go to the state polls under its leadership.
Amit Shah, the BJP’s chief strategist, has given the Karnataka unit a “Mission 136” – winning 136 of the state’s 224 seats. But this could be a tough task against the backdrop of Congress’ challenge in Karnataka, a state where the party has grassroots support.
The BJP came to power for the third time in the southern state of Karnataka after the coalition government of the Congress. And HD Kumaraswamy’s Janata Dal collapsed following the defection of secular legislators. The ruling coalition had accused the BJP of carrying out Operation Lotus — toppling an opposition government by poaching its legislators.
Mr Bommai and party state unit president Nalin Kumar Katel also met state general secretary in-charge Arun Singh.
