BJP to launch four-day Jan Swaraj Yatra in Karnataka from November 18
Bengaluru, Nov: The BJP will launch a four-day 'Jan Swaraj Yatra' across Karnataka from November 18 with an eye on winning the coming taluk panchayat and district panchayat elections, the party's state spokesperson Ganesh Karnik said here on Tuesday.
"We are launching 'Jan Swaraj Yatra' for four days from November 18. Four teams will travel across the four corners of the state for four days with a focus on winning the Taluk and district Panchayat elections," he said.
Karnik was briefing reporters on the BJP state office bearers meeting on Tuesday.
BJP national general secretaries Arun Singh, B L Santhosh and C T Ravi, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, Karnataka BJP state general secretary Arun Kumar (organisation), Karnataka ministers, legislators and other state level office bearers attended the event, he added.
Karnik said the objective of the 'Yatra' was to strengthen the party organisation at the booth level.
Apart from it, the BJP leaders also discussed the strategies to win the MLC elections for 25 seats in December 10 and two seats in June next year. Deliberations were also held on the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike elections, Karnik said.
The BJP spokesperson added that the outcome of the bypoll results were also discussed in the meeting.
While the BJP won Sindgi, it lost Hangal in Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's home district Haveri to Congress.
Karnik said the Hangal elections had always been tough for all the political parties as the victory margin was never high.
A decision was also taken to hold the state executive committee meeting on December 18 and 19 at Hubballi, he said.
The leaders also expressed their gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the achievement of crossing over a billion COVID-19 vaccinations in the country.
They also thanked Modi and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai for bringing down the petrol and diesel prices substantially in the state, Karnik said.
To a query on the Congress starting a yatra from Mekedatu to Bengaluru to expedite taking up the balancing reservoir project across Cauvery in Mekedatu in Kanakapura district, Karnik said Congress is free to carry out its own yatra.
He, however, wondered why the party did not start the project when it was in power for five years from 2014 to 2019.
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Surjewala slams Pratap Simha’s ‘vile’ remarks on CM Siddaramaiah, demands apology from BJP
Bengaluru (PTI): Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the BJP over alleged disparaging remarks made by former Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during an assembly bypoll campaign in Bagalkote.
Simha made the remarks while campaigning for BJP candidate Veerabhadrayya Charantimath, triggering a political row ahead of the by-elections scheduled for April 9.
Congress has fielded Umesh Meti, son of former MLA late M Y Meti, whose death necessitated the bye-election.
"Pratap Simha's vile remarks about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bagalkot have exposed the BJP's despicable politics once again," Surjewala said in a social media post.
Alleging a larger political design, he added, "It is increasingly evident that Pratap Simha’s outburst is driven by desperation," and accused the BJP of using such remarks to target backward classes, Scheduled Castes, and minorities.
The Rajya Sabha member further claimed that the incident reflects a pattern within the party. "This is not one man's madness—it is the BJP’s political culture," he said, adding that the remarks were aimed at "denigrating leaders from marginalised communities".
Referring to past incidents, Surjewala said, "CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar have received death threats in the past, including one from BJP leaders who warned that their bodies would be stuffed into a refrigerator."
The Congress leader also criticised the BJP’s bypoll campaign strategy, alleging "internal contradictions".
He pointed to the party’s use of expelled MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal in campaigning despite earlier disciplinary action against him, accusing the BJP of resorting to "abuses and indignities" against opposition leaders.
Surjewala demanded immediate action from the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, state president B Y Vijayendra, and Leader of Opposition R Ashoka.
He said they must tender a public apology to Kannadigas, particularly to OBCs, SCs, and minorities, over the remarks, and urged the party to expel Simha if it does not repudiate his statements.
Surjewala also called for legal action, demanding that an FIR be registered against Simha and that strict measures be taken.
Warning of "political consequences", he said the electorate in the bypoll-bound constituencies would respond decisively if the BJP failed to apologise, asserting that voters would "teach the BJP a befitting lesson" in the elections.
There has been no immediate reaction from the saffron party yet.
