Karnataka BJP leaders to embark on separate tours

Bangalore: The efforts of the state BJP to demonstrate unity during the statewide tour fell apart as senior leaders refused to go as a team.

As a result, former chief ministers BS Yeddyurappa, DV Sadananda Gowda and BJP national general secretary HN Ananthkumar are now embarking on state tour separately on different dates.

Yeddyurappa’s tour will start from Tumkur on Tuesday but the tour programmes of Gowda and Kumar are yet to be chalked out.

Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and his Deputy Chief Ministers K Eshwarappa and R Ashok will be joining each team according to their convenience.

The party had earlier decided to send all its top rung leaders on the tour. However, lack of understanding and trust among leaders forced the party to send them as different groups.

State BJP general secretary Prahlad Joshi, however, dismissed any rift between the leaders and claimed, "It was the decision of the party to send them in different groups and all leaders have agreed to it.

”During the tour, the leaders will visit drought-hit areas and oversee the relief works being taken up by the state government.

“If the leaders find something lacking, then they will draw attention of the government. They will also give suggestions, if any, to the government,” Joshi told reporters.

This apart, the leaders will also focus on strengthening the party as Assembly elections are just 10 months away.

The state BJP chalked out a series of programmes, including a membership drive.

“The drive will be held from September 9 to 16. Our aim is to increase our membership to 50 lakh from the existing 27 lakh and to have at least 50 members in each booth,” said Joshi while briefing about the decisions taken at the state office bearers and district BJP presidents and general secretaries meetings held here on Monday.

“The party will be holding dharnas in district headquarters on August 27 protesting steep hike in the prices of fertilisers. There has been a 300 percent rise in the fertiliser prices. But the Union government is not doing anything to contain it,” added Joshi.