The Karnataka Janata Paksha has considered the elections for the urban local bodies (ULB) as an opportunity to strengthen the party’s base, said B.S. Yeddyurappa, president of the party and the former Chief Minister.
“During the campaigning for the ULB election, the KJP workers should apprise people on the development work initiated during my tenure as Chief Minister,” he said at a convention of KJP workers here on Monday.
Accusing political parties of treating minority communities as vote bank, he said: “When I was Chief Minister, liberal financial grants were provided for the schemes related to the welfare of minority communities. With the objective to provide proper political representation to the minorities, the KJP has fielded the candidates belonging to these groups in the ULB election in good numbers,” he said.
Mr. Yeddyurappa said he would campaign for the KJP candidates in the city on March 4.
Political conspiracy
Stating that he had to relinquish Chief Minister’s post due to a political conspiracy, Mr. Yeddyurappa said some people within BJP were also were part of the conspiracy. He called upon voters to “teach a lesson to the traitors” in the ULB election and the subsequent the Assembly polls.
The former Minister and vice-president of the KJP, K.H. Srinivas, said the BJP and Congress leaders were going to the ULB polls reluctantly.
“These leaders had even tried to postpone the election for petty reasons. Their stand on the issue showed their lack of regard fro democracy,” he said.
Following Karnataka’s setback in the Cauvery water sharing dispute, Mr. Srinivas said, people of the State have realised the importance of a strong regional political party to safeguard the regional interests. He expressed confidence that KJP would win all the 35 wards in the Shimoga City Municipal Council.
The former Minister, G. Basavanyappa, party functionaries C. Manjula, and Rudre Gowda, were present.