Two-day State Executive meet of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) began in Harakud Kalyan Mantap, off Sedam Road, here on Saturday. Union Ministers H.N. Ananth Kumar, D.V. Sadananda Gowda and Ramesh Jigajinagi, party’s national general secretary Muralidhar Rao, State unit president B.S. Yeddyurappa, Leader of the Opposition in Assembly and former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, party leaders Aravinda Limbavali, Prahlad Joshi, R. Ashok, Shobha Karandlaje and C.T. Ravi were among those who participated in the first day. Leader of Opposition in Council K.S. Eshwarappa, who was leading dissidents in the party against Mr. Yeddyurappa, left the venue soon after the inaugural session.
Delivering the keynote address, Mr. Yeddyurappa set agenda for the meet, clearly keeping 2018 Assembly polls in the State in mind. Taking up extensive campaigns for exposing Congress for its “failure” to address drought issues and maintain law and order in the State, popularising Union government’s schemes and financial assistance, particularly with reference to Karnataka, and strengthening party at grassroot level through formation of structures and consolidation were among the major issues that State president proposed for deliberations.
He announced that the party would take up an unique initiative for drought-relief work in the State by pooling in money from the allocated funds of elected representatives of his party. “The Executive Meet is going to resolve that all the parliamentarians from our party would contribute Rs. 1 crore from the funds allocated to them by the government. Similarly, MLAs and MLCs would give Rs. 25 lakh each from their funds. With this, we will take up drought-relief work in affected areas,” he said. He added that the party would also make attempts to involve religious mutts, industrialists and other wealthy sections of the society to join hands with financial contributions for the purpose.
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Since the Executive Meet was being held in red-gram growing basin, Mr. Yaddyurappa did not forget to add that the demand for revision of minimum support price for red-gram from Rs. 5,500 to Rs. 6,500 would be discussed.
“Union Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will join us shortly. We will discuss the issue and take a positive decision,” he said.