The BJP will return to power in Karnataka with 125-130 seats in the 224-member assembly, senior party leader and former chief minister BS Yediyurappa told News18 in an interview on Saturday, adding that the high command will consider the demands of the Lingayat chief minister.
Predicting a grim situation in the Karnataka elections for Jagadish Shettar, who recently joined the Congress, Yediyurappa said the former chief minister would face a tough time in the Hubballi-Dharwad seat. He said that the PayCM campaign of the Congress would fail to deliver electoral results.
Touching upon his son Vijayendra’s prospects in the BJP, Yediyurappa said the Karnataka BJP vice-president enjoys significant popularity among workers even outside Shikaripura constituency. Talking about his own campaign schedule, the former CM said he plans to visit at least 80 important constituencies, with a target of four days.
edited excerpts
how much is the prime minister Narendra Modi And are Amit Shah’s rallies going to help boost the BJP’s chances?
I have traveled across the state and I am sure BJP will get 125 to 130 seats. We will get absolute majority and form the government.
We all saw the special gesture of Amit Shah taking the bouquet from your son Vijayendra. How do you see your son’s future?
You know that he is the Vice President of the party and is on a state tour. Despite being a candidate from Shikaripura assembly constituency, he is visiting the entire state. Yesterday he was in Varuna. Today, he is in North Karnataka. He is highly respected among BJP workers in the state. I am sure he will lead in Shikaripura seat by more than 50,000 votes.
How do you see your son Vijayendra’s prospects in the BJP?
This party is above the high command. Whatever they say, we will follow it.
As a father and mentor to Vijayendra, how do you see his role in the future of the BJP, especially after seeing him work to win seats like KR Pete and Sira?
Because of Vijayendra, we have won the election which we had lost earlier. He has the support of thousands of youth and they adore and respect him. Even in the constituency, 20,000-30,000 youths are wholeheartedly supporting Vijayendra and they are also touring the state and working hard to help build the party. Naturally he earns his own respect and in future also he is going to get an important position as per the decision taken by the high command.
You had said that Jagadish Shettar would get 99% ticket. What went wrong in the end?
I do not want to discuss these issues. Jagadish Shettar was promised a ticket for his wife. Amit Shah also called him personally, asking him to come to Delhi and become a Rajya Sabha member and later a Union Minister. He denied. He will have to face the consequences. According to me it is very difficult for Shettar to win Hubli-Dharwad seat.
Shettar made a statement that BL Santosh is controlling the party. How do you respond to that?
it is not true. Everyone is equal in the party. Santosh himself publicly said that such things do not happen in BJP. Everyone believes what PM Modi and Amit Shah say.
How much will Congress’s PayCM campaign affect BJP?
It will have no effect. This is all a lie spread by the Congress. There is no truth in this. This is a false allegation and it will have no effect on the BJP. The public will teach a lesson to the Congress.
What about the guarantee cards that the Congress has been promising the people?
When we are coming to power with absolute majority then what is the use of their guarantee card? It doesn’t serve the purpose.
There is a race to declare the Lingayat leader as the BJP’s CM candidate. How do you react?
About 85 percent of the Lingayat community is supporting the BJP. Many of our leaders are demanding that a Lingayat should become the next Chief Minister. Naturally our central leadership will decide after the elections.
What would you like to say to the leaders raising issues like hijab and halal during the election campaign?
Whatever programs I have announced as Chief Minister, I have never discriminated between Muslims, Christians or Hindus. We have treated all of them equally. For example, when I announced the Bhagyalakshmi scheme, more than 70% of the beneficiaries were from the Muslim community. So the allegation that we are communal is not correct.
What advice would you like to give to Jagadish Shettar?
I don’t want to comment on that. He has left the party. I repeat that the seat from which he is contesting is very difficult to win. Right now there is not a single BJP worker with him. These BJP workers are continuing to support the party.
KS Eshwarappa got a call from PM Modi yesterday. Is this the message being sent by the central leadership to those leaders who are considering leaving the party as they feel sidelined or denied tickets?
This shows the greatness of the Prime Minister. He talked to Eshwarappa Yes And said that there will be some occasion and don’t worry about it. Not just Eshwarappa or Yeddyurappa, but the entire BJP workers Happy to have such assurance.
It is being said that many senior BJP leaders and stalwarts of the Lingayat community are being asked to step down.
If you have an example give me. Jagadish Shettar is a special case. There is also Laxman Savadi. Savadi completed just 10 months in his six-year term as MLC. We were ready to give him ministerial post after the elections. When he lost the election, we made him MLC and later Deputy Chief Minister. What else do these people want?
What do you say about Shettar and Savadi, who you say got a lot from the party and have now left it?
He has betrayed the party. The public will teach them a lesson.
DK Shivakumar has said that BJP is trying to disqualify Congress candidates and their nominations.
All this is rubbish. It is the Election Commission that decides on nominations. His nomination was accepted yesterday. He is doing this just to gain some popularity. It doesn’t suit or help Shivakumar.
Why is there no chief ministerial face for the BJP this time?
After the election, the national leadership will decide who it will be. They don’t want to decide the election. tomorrow amit shah Yes Had a meeting with me and everyone knows Lingayats support for BJP in Karnataka. The decision will be taken after the elections.
BJP planning ‘Modi Tsunami’ in Karnataka and apart from Yeddyurappa’s Rath, what are your plans to visit the state?
I will start my tour from Shimoga district today. I am planning to cover 80 important constituencies and want to cover at least four constituencies per day.
What is your advice for the 72 new faces who have been given tickets by the BJP this time?
They should work hard. He has been given a golden opportunity and 72 is not a small number. We have selected good candidates who are popular in their constituencies. According to me more than 50% of the 72 new candidates will win. The central leadership conducted the survey thrice and we also conducted the survey twice in Karnataka to decide the distribution of tickets.
It is being said that if BJP comes to power again, it will affect the future of Congress.
The Congress leadership is very disappointed. After this election, when we come to power and form the government, many Congress leaders will leave the party and join BJP.
It is also being said that BJP may use ‘Operation Kamala’ for horse-trading. What do you have to say about this?
It will not be needed at all as we will come to power with absolute majority. There is no question of adjustment with any other political party. This does not arise.
How do you see the future of JD-S? Is the party’s influence waning?
What should I discuss about JD-S when we are coming to power with absolute majority? I do not want to discuss anything about JD-S.
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