BJP legislature party meeting on Monday evening asserted the need for postponement of the urban body polls and in case the request for deferring the election is turned down by the State Election Commission (SEC) the party should gear up and emerge victorious.

Legislators, especially those from the flood-affected Malnad region, are said to have made it clear that there was no way polls can be held in the prevailing situation.

The government on Monday wrote to the SEC to postpone the polls to the last week of September in the wake of the rain and flood situation in the state.

PM’s remarks
Leaders at the meeting held on the eve of the concluding day of the monsoon session of legislature, are said to have told legislators not to read much in the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statement that the State was poised for elections in the coming days. “We are already prepared for any eventuality. Let us hope for the best. We will stick to our present strategy that all BJP ministers will hand over their resignation letters on October 3, the day the transition of power is going to take place”, the leaders said.

Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa is learnt to have expressed confidence about the transfer of power and indicated that new legislators would be given an opportunity in the next Cabinet.  There were many disgruntled elements in the JD(S) and the Congress and the party needs to keep an eye on them, it was felt.

Interestingly, Water Resources Minister K S Eshwarappa is said to have left the meeting mid-way and a few MLAs followed him out of the meeting hall.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders are said to have told legislators to mobilise 30,000 supporters to protest against the Sethusamudram scheme in Rameswaram scheduled on August 26.