Amit Shah will be in Mandya, as BJP focuses on Old Mysuru region for 2023 polls
Bengaluru (PTI): As the BJP prepares for the 2023 Assembly elections in Karnataka, with special focus on the Old Mysuru region, where the party is weak, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hit the ground running in the poll-bound state with a visit to Mandya on Friday.
Shah, who landed in Bengaluru on Thursday night, will be visiting the Old Mysuru region's Mandya and Devanahalli on December 30 and 31, where he will be attending various events and meetings.
Other than official engagements, he will also be engaging in party meetings, where he is expected to review poll preparedness of the BJP and discuss strategy with leaders and booth level workers.
On his arrival in Bengaluru last night, Shah was received by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, several of his cabinet colleagues, and state BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel.
He will be in Mandya later in the day today, where he will inaugurate a mega dairy and address a public meeting there.
Mandya in Old Mysuru region is a Vokkaliga community dominated district, largely seen as a bastion of JD(S), where the Congress too is strong, and the BJP is trying to make inroads.
BJP National General Secretary C T Ravi on Wednesday had said his party will be giving special focus to the Old Mysuru region in the run-up to the 2023 Assembly polls in Karnataka, as the party has realised that without winning the confidence of people in the region, it cannot get a majority.
He said the BJP will go before the people in the Vokkaliga-dominated region where it is perceived as weak, with development and Hindutva as the agenda.
The BJP has been making consistent efforts to make inroads into constituencies or regions where it is not strong, especially in the old Mysuru region, aimed at reaping political dividends.
In the 2018 polls, the BJP managed to win one seat in Hassan; later in the high-voltage 2019 by-polls, it managed to win the K R Pet seat, its first victory in Mandya district and also won Chikkballapur, another first.
Creating history of sorts, the party bagged the Sira Assembly segment in Tumakuru district for the first time in November, 2020 by-polls.
After the engagements in Mandya, Shah will be back in Bengaluru to take part in a Cooperative convention at the Palace Grounds here. Following this, he is scheduled to attend a BJP meeting.
On December 31, the Home Minister is scheduled to have a breakfast meeting with party leaders, after which he will be laying the foundation stone for Central Intelligence Training Institute and Inaugurate ITBP's residential and non-residential complexes. He will also be visiting the Souharda Sahakari Federation. Thereafter, he is expected to attend BJP's booth presidents and booth level agents convention at the Palace Ground, before leaving for Delhi.
The visit has gained significance amid the wait for expansion or reshuffle for Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai-led cabinet and reservation demand by various communities in the state.
The BJP, which aims to come back to power by breaking nearly four-decade jinx of no party in government retaining power in the state (since 1985), has set a target of winning minimum 150 of the total 224 seats in the Assembly. The party is hoping to energise the cadres and instill confidence among them with Shah's visit.
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Vijay unable to prove majority, not invited for CM oath ceremony: Sources
Chennai: Actor-politician Vijay has reportedly not been invited to take oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after failing to demonstrate support from the required number of MLAs, sources in Raj Bhavan said.
According to media reports that quoted sources in the office of R.N. Ravi Arlekar, Vijay could not prove the backing of 118 legislators, the majority mark in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Despite last-minute efforts to secure support from the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazagam (AMMK), and an IUML legislator, Vijay reportedly managed support from only 116 MLAs, falling short by two members.
Sources said Vijay failed to submit letters of support from the VCK and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
Later, the IUML issued a statement clarifying that it was not part of the TVK-led alliance.
Meanwhile, AMMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran is also said to have informed the Governor that his party would support the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) instead.
Earlier in the evening, Vijay had met Governor Arlekar and staked claim to form the government, stating that he enjoyed the support of 118 MLAs.
