Ensure BJP emerges as number one party in Old Mysuru region: Amit Shah to Karnataka leaders
Bengaluru (PTI): Union Minister Amit Shah, who is on a visit to poll-bound Karnataka, on Friday night asked party leaders from the Old Mysuru region of the state to ensure that the BJP emerges as the "number one party" there.
The BJP, considered to be weak in the Vokkaliga community-dominated Old Mysuru region, is focusing on this belt to gain complete majority in the 2023 Assembly polls.
According to party sources, Shah has also ruled out the possibility of the BJP entering into an understanding with any other party, including the JD(S).
"For about three hours, Amit Shah held a meeting regarding the party organisation in the Old Mysuru region, the number of seats to win and the preparations for it. He spoke to everyone ministers, ex-ministers, sitting MLAs, ex-MLAs and leaders, and gathered inputs from them," Revenue Minister R Ashoka told reporters after the meeting late Friday night.
"He (Shah) said the dominance of the JD(S) and the Congress in Old Mysuru should end and the BJP should emerge as the number one party. With this plan, he will once again come here next month on a visit," Ashoka said, adding that the meeting will inspire the party's leaders and cadres.
The meeting was attended by Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and the party's general secretary in-charge Arun Singh among others.
Hitting the ground running in poll-bound Karnataka, Shah earlier in the day addressed a public meeting in Mandya, where he termed the Congress and the JD(S) "parivaarvadi" (dynastic) and "corrupt", and urged the people of Old Mysuru region to support the BJP.
After the late night meeting, BJP national general secretary C T Ravi said the strategies discussed cannot be shared with the media. Winning is important and Shah has given certain directions in this regard, he added.
"We will abide by them and making BJP the number one party in the Old Mysuru region is our priority," he said.
Asserting that there is no question of entering into an understanding with anyone, Ravi said, "BJP winning is important."
The Old Mysuru region is largely seen as a bastion of the JD(S), where the Congress is strong too, but the BJP is trying to make inroads. The region consists of districts like Mandya, Mysuru, Hassan, Tumakuru, Chamarajanagar, Bengaluru Rural, Kolar and Chikkaballapur among others.
Among other engagements on Saturday, Shah is scheduled to have a breakfast meeting with party leaders and then take part in the BJP's booth presidents and booth-level agents' convention at the Palace Ground in the evening.
He is also expected to meet Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji the head pontiff of Adichunchanagiri Math, the party sources said. The influential Math in the old Mysuru region is highly regarded, especially by the Vokkaliga community.
Ravi had on Wednesday said the party would be giving special focus to the Old Mysuru region in the run-up to the assembly polls, as it has realised that without winning the confidence of the people in the region, it cannot get a majority in the state.
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Sexual abuse case: Group of writers, academics write to CM Siddaramaiah demanding action
Bengaluru, May 15: A group of litterateurs and academics of Karnataka have written to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah demanding the immediate arrest of Hassan JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of sexually abusing several women but has gone abroad, "absconding" from the law.
The state government has constituted a Special Investigation Team headed by Additional Director General of Police B K Singh to probe multiple instances of sexual abuse and related cases involving Prajwal Revanna, and the Interpol has issued a Blue Corner Notice against the Hassan MP, who reportedly left the country on April 27.
Prajwal is the son of MLA and former Minister H D Revanna, who too has been accused in a case of molestation and another case of abduction, and grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda.
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Condemning the alleged sexual abuse of women by Prajwal, as many as 107 intellectuals comprising litterateurs, academics, playwrights, singers and social activists have written to Siddaramaiah demanding his immediate arrest.
In their letter, they said the incident shows the feudal mindset of a powerful family, whose members hold key positions in Parliament, the legislative assembly, the legislative council, panchayats and municipal bodies.
They said it is a big crime that the victims of sexual exploitation were allegedly threatened and kidnapped in order to "cover up a crime which has been happening for many years."
The group highlighted the threat to the lives of the victims and the trauma their families are going through after the scandal broke out.
They said that some women after suffering ignominy attempted suicide while many stigmatised families migrated from Hassan.
The group said a fearless atmosphere should be created for victims to come forward and lodge complaints. They also sought a brake on trading of charges by political parties, and the completion of the SIT probe within a time-frame.
Reacting to the letter, state Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara said the government would take it seriously.
“We will take their letter seriously because they are the ones who have concern for the society. They take note of the issues around them,” he said.
