JOIN USChief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Sunday said the Government will go ahead with elections to Zilla and Taluk Panchayats in December as scheduled. Sources in the BJP said the party had decided to campaign on the reservation issue and educate voters, especially the Other Backward Classes, on how it tried to repeal the ordinance and the way Opposition parties "politicised" it.
"The Government has asked the State Election Commission (SEC) to initiate the process of conducting the elections as scheduled. The Government, on its part, is ready to hold the elections," he told reporters after a meeting with senior leaders, including BJP State President K S Eshwarappa and Law Minister Suresh Kumar.
The SEC has initiated the process of conducting elections in December. The Commission will soon announce the date for holding the polls, official sources said. December is said to be the ideal month for holding the polls as the State will be facing power crisis in the subsequent summer months.
The Governor had turned down for the second time the government's request to repeal changes to the ordinance that had reduced the number of seats to OBCs in zilla and taluk panchayats.
Bhardwaj has directed the Government to secure the approval of the State legislature for the changes.
Yeddyurappa said the Government tried to provide justice to the OBCs. But the Governor has refused to repeal changes in the ordinance.
He said the Congress too has welcomed the Governor's action in refusing to repeal changes. "It (Congress' stand) is not proper. I do not know what is wrong with the Congress leaders in the State," Yeddyurappa stated.
Double standards
Eshwarappa accused Opposition parties, the Congress and the JD(S), of double standards for blaming the Government on meting out injustice to OBCs and yet welcoming the Governor's decision not to repeal changes in the ordinance.