Yeddyurappa will be BJP’s CM face in Karnataka elections

Bengaluru: The Narendra Modi wave sweeping across the country will have its telling effect in Karnataka with the BJP gaining a majority in the 2018 Assembly poll, State party unit President B SYeddyurappa said today.

Speaking at the 'meet-the-press' programme organised by Press Club of Bengaluru and Bengaluru Reporters Guild, he said his aim was to drive BJP win 150 seats, in the 224 seat Assembly, in the next election, and he will not rest till then. 'Come 2018 Karnataka will not see a fractured mandate and BJP will gain a clear majority in the Assembly election. Mr Modi's good work will ride BJP to regain power, and there is no doubt about it,' he said.

His claim comes in the wake of BJP President Amit Shah declaring that Mr Yeddyurappa will be projected as the next Chief Minister in the event of BJP gaining majority in the Assembly election. 'The BJP government's achievements during its rule in Karnatata and the Modi wave will ensure that my party will gain majority. We will tell the people of the failures of Congress government headed by Mr Siddaramaiah, and win the election,' he said. Mr Yeddyurappa said the BJP had taken a oath to make India 'free of Congress rule' and this will take a decisive turn when Karnataka people vote to elect the state government next year, 'in favour of the BJP'.

He discounted reports on internal bickerings between him and Legislative Council opposition leader K S Eshwarappa, saying that there was no groupism and any such problems have been 'solved'. The former chief minister said he had embarked on a major tour across the State, the 'Jan Sampark Abhiyan', and the party had received very good response from the people. The BJP cadre and leaders at district and taluk levels were fully braced up to ensure party's win in the coming election, he said. He accused the ruling Congress government as a corrupt regime and destabilise the Lokayukta office. 'The state has seen a mafia among IAS and IPS officials troubling prompt lower cadre officers.

The law and order situation has worsened and the government has badly failed to bring relief to people reeling under the severe drought that had affected the State for the second year,' he said. Mr Yeddyurappa also welcomed the union government's plan to ban cow slaughter across the country. (UNI)