BJP to woo Cong, JD(S) leaders in Vokkaliga belt: R Ashoka

Revenue Minister R Ashoka who was appointed as Mandya district in-minister recently, said that the ruling BJP would be inducting more leaders in order to wrest more Assembly seats in the Vokkaliga heartland.

Ashoka, a Vokkaliga face of the party, has been tasked to win more seats in Mandya, where the party had never won until 2019 by-election.

Speaking to DH, Ashoka said, “We cannot do it without inducting leaders who weaned away from both Congress and Janata Dal(S) in this region. Both the parties are strongest rivals here for decades. Already, we are in talks with top leaders from both the Congress and the JD(S) and some of them have already joined us”.

The minister also dropped hints that Mandya Lok Sabha MP Sumalatha Ambreesh, along with her son Abhishek Gowda, may join the party soon.

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Ashoka pointed out that the party was also in talks with a former Lok Sabha member [L R Shivarame Gowda from JD(S)] and the announcement about the leader’s induction would be made soon.

He added that the party has been in touch with the grassroots-level leaders too who have the capacity to tilt the votes at local level.

Ashoka said that apart from organising rallies, conventions and roadshows by party central leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the party will be utilising Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath more in this region.

“Yogi connects well within Vokkaliga heartland, as whenever he comes he stays in the Vokkaliga Mutt, which indirectly helps the party to send a subtle message to people in region,” he said.