BJP plans more events to garner votes in Karnataka

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said that all wings of the BJP plan to host conventions with distinct themes besides booth- and taluk-level events in order to win more votes in the upcoming Assembly election.

Bommai was speaking after a key organisational meeting that was attended by BJP national general secretary BL Santhosh, state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and other senior leaders.

According to Bommai, the party will continue with the Jana Sankalpa tour while focussing on electorates on a cohort basis.

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“We will hold mid-size and small conventions at the booth-level through our party wings and cells. These will be followed with conventions across the state. Apart from this, rallies will be held in taluks as well. All of these will be organised simultaneously across the state to reach out to more people on the ground,” Bommai explained.

Bommai noted that all party programmes will continue as per plans and there won’t be any break due to the legisalture session starting February 10.

The BJP has seven morchas and 17 prakoshtas (cell) that function like hubs and spokes of a wheel. These units basically work with various electoral cohorts in the state.

BJP national president JP Nadda will launch the 9-day statewide Vijaya Sankalpa campaign at Vijayapura on Saturday.

Along with Nadda, Bommai will launch the campaign at Tumakuru.

Also, the BJP's Rath Yatra from four different directions will be launched by the end of February, Bommai said. "The route map will be decided in a week's time. We have to finalise the routes as well as leaders to helm the Rath Yatras," he said.

BSY skips meet

BJP veteran BS Yediyurappa was conspicuous by his absence in Friday's meeting to discuss election preparation. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that Yediyurappa did not attend the meeting as it was a "preparatory" one. Bommai stressed that Yediyurappa would attend only "important" meetings. Yediyurappa will be informed about the discussions in Friday's meeting, he added.

"He is our most respected and senior leader in the state," Bommai maintained. Yediyurappa, a former chief minister, was not seen during PM Modi's visit to Hubballi, Yadir and Kalaburagi. During New Year, Yediyurappa was overseas when union home minister Amit Shah visited Mandya and Bengaluru. Earlier, Yediyurappa had skipped a couple of Jana Sankalpa tour as well.