New Karnataka BJP President and Opposition leader in firefighting mode to douse dissent
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra on Thursday said he is trying to win the trust of everyone and address 'minor issues' amongst some leaders, amid indications that his appointment to the post did not go down well with a section of the party.
His statement came after former Ministers V Somanna and Aravind Limbavali and MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal made no secret of their displeasure over the choice of Vijayendra as the state unit chief and Ashoka as the Leader of Opposition in the assembly.
The BJP made the two appointments earlier this month, six months after the Assembly elections in which it was routed.
Vijayendra, son of BJP veteran B S Yediyurappa, today met MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, who is also reportedly sulking, at the latter's residence and held talks.
Addressing reporters later, Vijayendra said he will take the statement of the Gokak MLA seriously. "There are small issues, which I discussed with him in a manner to make him content. I hope he was happy with the discussion".
He said he will not take the statements of the party leaders "negatively" and, as state President, will take everyone into confidence.
The BJP chief said Jarkiholi told him to work together to win maximum seats for BJP in the next Lok Sabha elections.
Jarkiholi said his aim is to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for which he will work with a missionary zeal to strengthen the party and instill enthusiasm in the activists.
"I will do my duty by winning 28 out of 28 seats (in Karnataka) in the Lok Sabha elections," Vijayendra asserted.
Jarkiholi told reporters that the lone aim is to win maximum seats for the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections next year as his "dissatisfaction is an old issue".
Meanwhile, former Housing Minister V Somanna said he will reveal his "future course of action" after December.
Amid some speculations that he is set to join Congress, he said, "Seniors have told me not to speak up till December 6".
After losing the Assembly election from two Constituencies including Varuna in Mysuru where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah won, Somanna was aspiring for the state president's post.
Apparently dejected after he was overlooked, he said, "Politics is not a drama company and not restricted to a family or secret pacts."
He also ruled out any attempts being made by Yediyurappa to "pacify" him.
Meanwhile Yediyurappa told reporters that he will meet Somanna.
"I will meet Somanna and will take him along. He is a good organiser. We will use him to strengthen our party," the BJP stalwart said.
Striking a discordant note, Limbavali told media on Wednesday in Belagavi that some people rise due to "adjustment".
"This is an era of adjustment-- be it opposition leader or the party state president," he added.
Reacting to apparent dissent within a section of the party over the appointments, Ashoka said in a week things will be set right.
"Somanna is a senior leader. Our seniors in the party are talking to him. Today only our party state president met Ramesh Jarkiholi at his residence. One after another things are getting cleared in a week," Ashoka said.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
