Appointment based on performance: K'taka BJP chief Vijayendra rubbishes "dynasty politics" charge
Bengaluru: Rubbishing criticism, especially from within the party, that he is a product of 'dynasty politics', Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra said he has been appointed to the post based on his performance and commitment, and not just because he is the son of veteran leader B S Yediyurappa.
His primary objective as the party president is to consolidate BJP's base pan-Karnataka, he said as he also asserted that people want to see Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister for the third term, and no factors including Congress government's guarantee schemes will come in the way of this.
"I would have agreed with Eshwarappa or Yatnal's statements, if I had been appointed as the party President by Yediyurappa himself, but I'm president because of the decision of the national leadership, not by Yediyurappa," Vijayendra told PTI in an interview.
Responding to senior party leaders K S Eshwarappa and Basangouda Patil Yatnal's repeated attacks on him accusing him of being a product of "dynasty politics", he said, "So they have to understand this fact."
"Appointing me as the party president was decided six months after the assembly election (May 2023). Lot of thinking process has been undertaken before taking the decision." Vijayendra said his selection has got nothing to do with Yediyurappa.
"I'm proud to say that I'm the son of Yediyurappa. Today my party cadres are happy to see me as their president. I'm travelling across the state. If the party has appointed me it is based on my performance, my commitment towards the party in the last 12 years. I have not been elevated just because I'm the son of Yediyurappa. Everyone should understand this," he said, adding that when the central leadership has appointed him, repeatedly discussing this issue is not going to help the party.
Asked whether ensuring a BJP sweep in Lok Sabha polls is key to consolidating his position and to silence critics, Vijayendra said, his aim is not just limited to parliamentary elections or the next zilla panchayat elections.
"My main aim is to expand the party, and I will continue to do that."
"My mandate or instructions to me or my aim is to expand my party base in Karnataka. Because once upon a time it was a bastion for BJP among southern states, but for some reason, we have lost that space. So my primary objective or aim as the party president is to consolidate my party base pan-Karnataka, especially in the old Mysuru region and Hyderabad (Kalyana) Karnataka," he said.
Noting that for 30-40 years, Yediyurappa was an undisputed leader of Karnataka BJP and his reach cannot be matched, as he was a mass leader, Vijayendra responding to a question about party facing dearth of leaders said, quite naturally that nobody can fill in that space, and now is the time where young leadership has to be nurtured.
"That's the reason why the party has given me the opportunity. It is my duty to ensure that more and more (youngsters) come to the front and take lead in the party. I will ensure it at all the levels, it is a collective leadership."
"It is a new phase for state BJP, minus Yediyurappa's leadership, is a big challenge, it is a big task, we have to grow along with this," he added.
The state BJP chief said that the high command will decide on taking action against senior leader Eshwarappa, who has rebelled against the party and is contesting as independent candidate from Shimoga, against his brother B Y Raghavendra.
"Party workers are questioning Eshwarappa today. He is contesting in Shimoga because his son couldn't get a ticket from Haveri. Candidates for all the constituencies were decided by the national leadership based on performance of sitting MPs, opinion of 'Karyakartas' through NaMo app."
"Based on various parameters, high command has decided. It is not Vijayendra or Yediyurappa who have decided the candidates," he said.
"Raghavendra, who is a sitting MP, and is known for development, will win with a margin of over two lakh votes," he added.
Expressing happiness that all the differences within the party over candidate selection have been resolved and cadres are working for the official nominees, Vijayendra said, it is quite natural to have more aspirants when the party is bound to come back to power. "BJP had more than 6-8 aspirants in almost every Lok Sabha constituency. That is the amount of confidence people have in Modi's leadership."
To hide their failures Siddaramaiah is blaming the central government, he said. 'They accuse the central government of not releasing (drought relief) funds, but when there was floods during Yediyurapps's (as CM) term he did not wait for central funds, he paid from the state's exchequer (for immediate relief)."
"CM (Siddaramaiah) is doing injustice and insulting people of Karnataka."
"Everything is in black and white -- tax devolution, grants -- Karnataka has received. State government is in fact stalling the central projects fearing credit will go to Modi," he alleged.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
