Leaders busy, crucial BJP meet put off

The State BJP core committee meeting scheduled to be held on Thursday in Bangalore was cancelled as party president Pralhad Joshi and senior leader Ananth Kumar could not make it to the meeting due to last minute change in their plans.

The meeting was scheduled to discuss a date for inviting Gujarat Chief Minister and national campaign committee chairman Narendra Modi to the State.

Joshi had to rush to Haveri district to participate in the election to the presiding officers of  Hanagal Town Municipal Council which was held on Thursday. As the TMC comes under the jurisdiction of Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency, Joshi, of being the MP of the segment, could participate in the elections of the presiding officers.

“Basavaraj Bommai called me up and said my vote was crucial and I participate in the elections. There is no other political reason for cancellation of the meeting,” Joshi told Deccan Herald.

The tug of war in the BJP over declaring Modi as the party’s prime ministerial candidate in a way also resulted in the cancellation of the meet. Joshi said party national president Rajnath Singh called him and requested him to postpone the meet by a couple of days as Ananth Kumar and senior leader Venkaiah Naidu would be tied up in Delhi. Naidu was to attend the meet in his capacity as party in charge of campaign monitoring and planning.