Nobody pressured DKS to join BJP: Javadekar

Union Human Resources Development Minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday said the Congress' allegation that the BJP was pressuring Karnataka Energy Minister D K Shivakumar to join the saffron party is nothing but tactics to divert attention from I-T probe against him.

Javadekar, who is party's in-charge for Karnataka Assembly elections, told reporters here that "With the Income Tax officials probing wealth of Shivakumar and his family members, the Congress is spreading all kinds of rumours among the public to divert the attention.

"Why should the BJP approach the leader who is under the scanner of Income Tax Department. With sheer desperation, the Congress is making these kinds of baseless allegations", he stated.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had recently charged that the BJP was coercing Shivakumar to switch over to the BJP.

Javadekar expressed confidence that the BJP will secure a "decisive victory" in the upcoming Assembly polls and ruled out a hung Assembly. The BJP is confident of getting a "clear majority" in the 224-member Assembly, he added.

"There is anti-incumbency against the Congress" which is aiding current political atmosphere in favour of BJP, Javadekar claimed.

The BJP has a strong team, he stressed, and some issues that emerged because of some state leaders have been resolved. "Now, things are going on smoothly," he added.

The party will organise 'Nav Shakti Sammelan' for booth-level workers in the next three months. A committee is being set up for each of the 54,000 polling booths. As of now, the committees have been set up for 75% of the booths and the rest will be done by end of this month, he added.