BJP to bank on populist schemes

Rs 10 lakh to each district to tackle water crisis

The BJP legislature party meeting and office-bearers meeting held on Thursday in Bangalore debated the strategies to maximise gains in the Gram Panchayat elections. While GP candidates do not have party symbols, political parties back their candidates in the polls.

Sources said Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Jagadish Shettar told the MLAs that Rs 10 lakh has been released to each Deputy Commissioner to tackle water crisis. They were advised to interact with beneficiaries of social schemes introduced by the BJP government and motivate them to campaign for the candidates identified with the BJP.

When a section of the MLAs tried to explain to the ministers that water and power crisis had worsened, the meeting was wound up, it is said.  Official reason for the meeting being cut short was the demise of sitting BJP MLA Chandrashekar Patil Revoor on Wednesday night. On record, the BJP has expressed confidence that at least 70 per cent of the candidates to whom the party will extend support will emerge victorious in the GP elections. Addressing reporters, party spokesperson Ayanur Manjunath said the government populist schemes have struck a chord with the rural masses.

Delhi chalo

Manjunath said as many as 15,000 BJP leaders and workers from the State will participate in the Delhi chalo agitation against price rise and the UPA government on April 21. The party will also hold agitations at hobli, taluk and district headquarters on the day, he
said.