BJP kicks off campaign among youth

The BJP began its poll campaign among the youth of Bangalore on Tuesday by organising an interaction with students from various colleges and its party spokesperson and candidates.

Primarily criticising the UPA government for its failure, and lauding the 2004 NDA regime, BJP national spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi gave an insight into the party ideology, while taking a stand on critical issues ranging from India’s relations with China and immigration. 

BJP’s Bangalore South candidate Ananth Kumar made a rousing speech against the rival parties. Stopping short of directly attacking his Congress opponent Nandan Nilekani, the five-time MP said the Aadhaar numbers were ‘niraadhaar’ and those who propagated the UIDAI must be tried for treason.

“All these Aadhaar numbers have no basis. I have said this in Parliament and I say it now. Unlike in other nations, where an illegal immigrant is either jailed or shot, in India, when an illegal migrant enters the country, he is given an Aadhaar number,” said Kumar, evoking loud laughter from the crowd. On the issue of Section 377 (unnatural sex) of the Indian Penal Code, which questioned the BJP’s stance on the matter, students got an elaborate response from the party.

“Nowhere in the country does someone get arrested for declaring that he or she is a gay or a lesbian. It is only in cases of physical assault that Section 377 is invoked,” said Lekhi.

If elected, BJP to review UPA decisions

The BJP on Tuesday said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, if elected, would review all decisions taken in a hurry by the UPA government just before the announcement of poll dates, including the appointment of former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit as Governor of Kerala.

Briefing reporters, senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu termed Dikshit’s appointment an act of desperation by the Congress to protect her from graft charges, including her alleged involvement in the 2010 Commonwealth Games and irregularities in Delhi Technological University admissions.

He expressed confidence that the BJP would do considerably well across the country, including in South India, as there was a Narendra Modi wave everywhere. He said the BJP would win at least half of 132 seats in South India. The party has a strong base in Karnataka and growing support in Andhra Pradesh. In Tamil Nadu, allies like the DMDK had joined hands with the BJP.

In Kerala, social organisations have come forward to support the BJP as they were keen that Narendra Modi becomes prime minister, he said.