Karnataka polls 2023: Shobha Karandlaje upbeat about BJP’s prospects

The Yediyurappa government brought out a kisan budget for the first time in the country, Shobha said

Senior BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje has been tasked with leading the poll management committee of Karnataka. The state goes to polls on May 10 and the results will be announced on May 13.

In an interview with The Indian Express, she spoke on various issues affecting the party and how she plans to bring the party back to power.

BJP is perceived to be facing a huge anti-incumbency. To beat this, Shobha said the people of the state believe that prime minister will do "something good for them" and "run a positive campaign". Also, the saffron party is exposing the ills of the Congress party. Karandlaje added, “They are seeing what is happening on the ground. People are happy with the Jal Jeevan Mission, they are getting drinking water, and people see him as an icon of Swachh Bharat.”

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Though the BJP is banking on the Modi effect, the publication noted that the Karnataka election is a state election. Moreover, it being a state election, the party has to convince people as to what it has done for the state in order to seek a second term. To this, Shobha reiterated the governments of Modi and Bommai are a "double-engine" government, and how the Central schemes have been implemented in the state. However, on the flip side, she added, “Many of the Central programmes could not get implemented in states like Kerala or West Bengal due to the state governments’ attitude. Many programmes have been renamed (by them), despite the Centre bearing the bigger financial burden.”

The publication also quizzed her on the aspect of the party having two chief ministers in the state and its achievements.

To this, she said, “The Yediyurappa government brought out a kisan budget for the first time in the country. Karnataka farmers got loan at 0 per cent interest. For the first time, farmers and BPL families got free electricity.”

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The publication also sought to know her views on the scrapping of 4 per cent reservation for Muslims. To this, she said, “The Congress has always done vote bank politics. So we had a reservation policy — no other state has this — based on religion. It was unconstitutional, so we thought it’s fair to scrap the 4 per cent allocation for Muslims and give it to Vokkaligas (2 per cent) and Lingayats (2 per cent).”

Lastly, she notes that the party would work on the principle of sabka saath, sabka vikas.