The Hindu : BJP only hope: Ananth Kumar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 28, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

BJP only hope: Ananth Kumar

By Our Special Correspondent

Photo: T.L. Prabhakar

The Union Minister for Urban Development, Ananth Kumar, who was appointed BJP State unit president, being given a reception by party workers at the Bangalore Airport on Friday. B.S. Yediyurappa, veteran BJP leader, is also seen.

BANGALORE JUNE 27. The BJP intends to convert the wrath of the common man against the misrule of the Congress and the disenchantment of the people with the divided Janata Dal into a political opportunity to emerge as a clear alternative in the next Lok Sabha elections and the Legislative Assembly in the State, the new State unit president, Ananth Kumar, said here today.

He told presspersons at the airport on his arrival from Delhi that the BJP, which was a peripheral party a decade ago, had emerged as the mainstream party and a party to reckon with and its main aim now was to become an alternative to the Congress in the State.

Asked if the party would have any truck with the former Chief Minister, Ramakrishna Hegde's outfit, Mr. Kumar said the BJP president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, was of the view that since the elections to the Assembly were 18 months away, the party should be taken to the villages and strengthened in the next one year. Alliance could be thought of later.

Asserting that there was no dissension in the party, Mr. Kumar said that as a united party its leaders would go to the nook and corner of the State with people-oriented activities.

Later, addressing a meeting, who gave him and the newly-appointed Chairman of the State Election Campaign Committee, B.S. Yediyurappa, a rousing reception on their arrival from Delhi, Mr. Kumar expressed confidence that the party would come to power in the State.

Mr. Kumar called the State Government as corrupt and irresponsible. It had failed on all fronts, be it law and order, tackling drought or river water disputes.

The "Janata parivar" was hopelessly divided. The BJP was the only hope for the people in such a scenario. Complimenting Mr. Kumar for his efforts to get the south-west railway zone in Hubli, international airport at Devanahalli, and liberal assistance from the Centre to fight drought, the outgoing president of the party's State unit, Basavaraj Patil Sedam, said he was confident that Mr. Kumar would succeed in ushering in a pro-people BJP Government in place of the present "obnoxious" one.

Mr. Yediyurappa said now that a "BJP wave" had started in the State, it would not be long before the party came to power.

The partymen would work as a team to bring about an alternative to the Congress to solve the problems of the people.

The City unit president and MLA, R. Ashok, welcomed the two leaders.

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