BJP to select candidates for LS polls before January 25

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the State is planning to have the first list of “probable candidates” for the Lok Sabha elections before January 25, said the former Chief Minister and senior party leader D.V. Sadananda Gowda.

Addressing presspersons here on Tuesday, he said that a consultative meeting of the party leaders would be held in Bangalore on Thursday and Friday to select the “probable candidates”.

“The BJP is preparing fast for the Lok Sabha elections,” he said.

‘Lack of leadership’

Mr. Gowda alleged that the Congress was facing a dearth of leadership in the State. It had failed to maintain law and order, he alleged citing “examples” such as of gunning down of R.N. Nayak, a businessman at Ankola in Uttara Kannada last year, gang-rape of a medical student at Manipal last year and kidnapping and filming sex video of two medical students at Deralkatte on December 18.

He alleged that the State government was attempting to suppress Hindu organisations especially in Dakshina Kannada by booking what Mr. Gowda called false cases against its leaders. The government was attempting to create a “fear psychosis’ in the minds of Hindu organisation leaders, he said.

The Congress was following “appeasing political policy” for the sake of votes, he alleged.

Mr. Gowda said that a delegation of BJP leaders, including him, met Mangalore Police Commissioner on Tuesday to apprise him not to get carried away by the complaints of Congress workers against Hindu leaders.