Gram Swaraj convention held in Ponnampet

The BJP has formed six teams with ministers and state leaders to tour across the state to strengthen the party ahead of the Gram Panchayat elections, said Revenue Minister R Ashoka.

For the first time, nine state-level leaders are taking part in a meeting organised as preparation for Gram Panchayat elections in Kodagu, he added.

He was speaking during the Gram Swaraj convention organised at Ponnampet by the BJP.

“The leaders are visiting all the districts to instil confidence in the party workers. If the party workers make up their minds, then 80% of the Gram Panchayats can be won by the BJP supported candidates in the state. This will help the BJP to have an upper hand in future elections,” he said.

Ashoka said the Congress has no president. There is infighting in the Congress and D K Shivakumar is not accepted by Siddaramaiah.

He said that nobody knows the status of the JD(S) in Karnataka.

BJP state vice president B Y Vijayendra said that the party workers should consider the Gram Panchayat elections seriously. The election is to give power to the citizens.

State BJP SC unit president Chalavadi Narayanaswamy said that Kodagu is BJP’s strong fort.

There is a need to strengthen the party at the Gram Panchayat level. The BJP is striving for Ram Rajya, he added.

MLA K G Bopaiah said that the BJP is not an individual-centric party.

“We have to win all the Gram Panchayats. All the preparations should be made. Party workers should visit booths and make a list of the grievances of the people and try to respond to their woes,” he said.

MLA Appachu Ranjan said that Kodagu district is a Congress-free district.

All of us should strive to win the Gram Panchayat elections unitedly, he added.

MLC Sunil Subramani also spoke on the occasion.