BJP leaders to travel across K'taka in teams from Aug 21 preparing for polls: Yediyurappa
Bengaluru/Mantralayam (PTI): Senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on Thursday said party leaders will begin their travel across Karnataka in teams from August 21, as part of preparations in the run-up to the 2023 Assembly polls.
Bengaluru/Mantralayam (PTI): Senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on Thursday said party leaders will begin their travel across Karnataka in teams from August 21, as part of preparations in the run-up to the 2023 Assembly polls.
The former Chief Minister reiterated that he will not be contesting any polls here on, but will work with other BJP leaders for the party's victory and installing it in power in the State.
"From 21st (August) we will all begin travelling across the state, we have not yet decided on from where to start and it will be soon decided...in three to four teams headed by various leaders we will travel across the state in all districts," Yediyurappa said.
Speaking to reporters in Mantralayam, a pilgrim village located in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, he said the BJP will go to every division and organise large-scale events gathering lakhs of people.
"No doubt, Congress leader Siddaramaiah's 75th birthday event was a huge one, but in a month's time after our events are planned, you will realise what's our strength and what was theirs (Congress')," he added in response to a question whether Siddaramaiah's mega event will cause any setback to the BJP.
Rejecting speculation regarding Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai being replaced, the veteran leader said he doesn't expect any changes to happen at this point in time, when elections are expected in seven to eight months.
"There is no need for it (change) as well, as he (Bommai) is doing a good job, so I expect that he will continue, so there is no truth in this speculation," he said.
Responding to Congress' criticism against BJP, accusing it of forcefully removing him as CM and neglecting him, Yediyurappa reiterated that he voluntarily resigned (as CM) to make way for others, and no one forced him to do so.
"The talk that I'm being neglected in the BJP is not right, the position and respect that the party has given me cannot be compared with, I was made CM four times, I was given all sorts of responsibilities. I have faced no injustice from the party in any kind. It is my duty to pay back as a worker and will do it," he said.
Stating that during his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah last week in Bengaluru, they discussed political developments in the state, Yediyurappa said he has assured him about working along with other leaders towards bringing BJP back to power in the state.
Reiterating that he will not contest in Assembly or any other elections hereon, the senior BJP leader said he will continue to remain in politics and work day and night for the party's victory.
"I have already said if the central leadership agrees, Vijayendra (son) will contest from Shikaripura (his Assembly constituency). If the party's central leadership agrees he will contest and win," he said.
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Over 350 illegal religious structures removed along Nepal border
Lucknow, May 11 (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday said that more than 350 unauthorised religious sites, including madrasas, mosques, mazars and Eidgahs, have been identified and subjected to sealing or demolition in recent days, an official statement issued here said.
Acting on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's clear directive that no religious encroachment will be tolerated, the administration in districts such as Pilibhit, Shravasti, Balrampur, Bahraich, Siddharthnagar and Maharajganj has launched a sweeping campaign, it said.
The authorities have systematically identified illegal structures and taken strict action, continuing operations even on Sunday.
The chief minister has made it clear that encroachment in the name of any religion will not be allowed and all violators, especially those running unrecognised religious institutions, will face legal consequences, the statement said.
On May 10 and 11, 104 madrasas, one mosque, five mazars and two Eidgahs built illegally on public and private land were identified in Shravasti. All were issued notices and sealed, it said.
One illegal madrasa on public land was demolished and two unrecognized madrasas on private land were sealed, the statement added.
In Bahraich, officials identified 13 madrasas, eight mosques, two mazars and one Eidgah illegally constructed on government land.
After issuing notices, five were sealed and 11 were demolished, including eight madrasas, two mosques and one mazar, the statement said.
In Siddharthnagar, the authorities identified four mosques and 18 madrasas and one more madrasa for illegal construction. Notices were issued to these structures. Five madrasas were sealed and nine were demolished. In total, action was taken against 23 illegal structures in the district, it said.
In Maharajganj’s Nautanwa tehsil, Parsamalik village, an unrecognized madrasa operating on Maktab land was shut down based on a report submitted by the District Minority Welfare Officer.
The building’s keys were handed over to the local police station in-charge. So far, 29 madrasas and five mazars constructed through encroachment on public and private land have been demolished in the district.
In past two days in Lakhimpur Kheri, two mosques, one Eidgah on public land along with eight madrasas on private land were found to be illegally constructed.
Of the 13 structures identified, one was served a notice, nine were sealed and three have been demolished so far, the statement said.
The district authorities in Pilibhit have identified an illegal mosque built on public land in Bharatpur village, covering an area of 0.0310 hectares.
According to the district magistrate, a notice has been issued to the parties involved, seeking a response within 15 days. Action against the illegal construction will be taken after the notice period ends, it said.
On Sunday, an under-construction madrasa on public land in Virpur Semra village, Tulsipur tehsil, was demolished in Balrampur. So far, 30 madrasas, 10 mazars and one Eidgah have been demolished in the district.
Ten of them were built illegally on public land, while 20 were constructed without authorization on private land, the statement said.
