BJP, Cabinet rule out early polls in State
The BJP central leadership and the Jagadish Shettar Cabinet on Saturday decided against immediate dissolution of the State Assembly and going for early elections.
The discussions on going for early polls came up during a series of back-to-back meetings with party functionaries, ministers and MPs held in Bangalore. BJP top brass including party president K S Eshwarappa, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, party national general secretary and incharge of party affairs Dharmendra Pradhan attended the meeting.
The issue was raised by a section of the party functionaries who suggested that the party initiate strict against former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and his supporters, dissolve the Assembly and go for polls.
Pradhan is said to have conveyed to the meeting that the party central leadership was against dissolving the Assembly at a time when the Gujarat Assembly polls are scheduled to be held next month.
The move could provide the Opposition parties ammunition to target the BJP. Several ministers are also said to be against dissolution of the Assembly as they want to complete their full term.
Pradhan is said to have also told the party members that no individual was greater than the party. Those who do not want to work within the party framework were free to leave the party, he is learnt to have said in his address. Loyal party workers were the greatest assets of the BJP, he said.
Later, BJP MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and general Secretary Raghunath Malkapure told reporters that the party would hold a series of rallies in November and December across the State to “expose the misdeeds” of the UPA government.
