<p>Bengaluru: The meeting with many prominent <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/bjp">BJP</a> leaders, including former MLAs, over lunch on Friday was neither a show of strength nor one to discuss expulsion of any leader, clarified president of the saffron party’s Karnataka unit <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/b-y-vijayendra">B Y VIjayendra</a>. </p>.<p>The meeting was convened to discuss methods to strengthen the party organisation, besides chalking out strategies for the upcoming local body polls, he said. </p>.<p>“This meeting should have been organised after I took over as the state president, 8-10 months ago. However, owing to work pressure, we could not do it then. We focussed on strategies essential for the upcoming taluk and zilla panchayat elections,” said Vijayendra. The dates for the local body elections are slated to be announced in April. </p>.<p>The meeting comes days after former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai and other BJP leaders had a similar meeting. </p>.<p>Former CM and BJP Parliamentary Board Member B S Yediyurappa is said to have guided the meeting, and called on the entire party machinery to function as a cohesive unit by setting aside differences. </p>.Meet of Vokkaliga seers, leaders tomorrow to oppose Karnataka's caste census.<p>The Karnataka BJP chief also stressed the need to take people across all communities together ahead of the taluk and zilla panchayat elections in the state. </p>.<p>Meanwhile, with the Basangouda Patil Yatnal-led faction continuing with its rebellious activities, those in the party’s state unit backing Vijayendra are beginning to wonder if the BJP top brass is capable of settling the dispute. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Admitting to differences within the party, Vijayendra said that the party’s central leadership was following the developments. “However, our responsibility is to ensure that we strengthen the party together.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">Slamming the Congress government for ‘derailing’ the state in the name of the guarantees, the Karnataka BJP president said: “There is zero development in the state. Maternal and infant fatalities are among the pressing issues in the state. People are tired of this government. Even ruling party legislators are disappointed.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">Leaders of the Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka, his Council counterpart Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, former chief minister Sadananda Gowda and other leaders were present in the lunch meeting.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The meeting with many prominent <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/bjp">BJP</a> leaders, including former MLAs, over lunch on Friday was neither a show of strength nor one to discuss expulsion of any leader, clarified president of the saffron party’s Karnataka unit <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/b-y-vijayendra">B Y VIjayendra</a>. </p>.<p>The meeting was convened to discuss methods to strengthen the party organisation, besides chalking out strategies for the upcoming local body polls, he said. </p>.<p>“This meeting should have been organised after I took over as the state president, 8-10 months ago. However, owing to work pressure, we could not do it then. We focussed on strategies essential for the upcoming taluk and zilla panchayat elections,” said Vijayendra. The dates for the local body elections are slated to be announced in April. </p>.<p>The meeting comes days after former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai and other BJP leaders had a similar meeting. </p>.<p>Former CM and BJP Parliamentary Board Member B S Yediyurappa is said to have guided the meeting, and called on the entire party machinery to function as a cohesive unit by setting aside differences. </p>.Meet of Vokkaliga seers, leaders tomorrow to oppose Karnataka's caste census.<p>The Karnataka BJP chief also stressed the need to take people across all communities together ahead of the taluk and zilla panchayat elections in the state. </p>.<p>Meanwhile, with the Basangouda Patil Yatnal-led faction continuing with its rebellious activities, those in the party’s state unit backing Vijayendra are beginning to wonder if the BJP top brass is capable of settling the dispute. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Admitting to differences within the party, Vijayendra said that the party’s central leadership was following the developments. “However, our responsibility is to ensure that we strengthen the party together.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">Slamming the Congress government for ‘derailing’ the state in the name of the guarantees, the Karnataka BJP president said: “There is zero development in the state. Maternal and infant fatalities are among the pressing issues in the state. People are tired of this government. Even ruling party legislators are disappointed.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">Leaders of the Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka, his Council counterpart Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, former chief minister Sadananda Gowda and other leaders were present in the lunch meeting.</p>