BENGALURU: The BJP Karnataka unit’s State Executive Committee meeting began here on Saturday.
Union Ministers Bhupender Yadav, Pralhad Joshi, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, former Karnataka chief ministers B S Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai, state BJP President BY Vijayendra, party leaders Jagadish Shettar, CT Ravi and other party leaders are participating in the meeting, which is scheduled to last until 5.30 pm today.
The issues related to campaigns to be taken up by the BJP against the Congress government and the preparations for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls are expected to be taken up for discussion.
The meeting is being presided over by Vijayendra. The meeting was scheduled to be held last week itself, But it had been put off following the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bengaluru. This is the first state executive meeting being held after Vijayendra took over as the party state president and a new team of party state office-bearers was formed.
BJP’s state unit got a shot in the arm when former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who had joined the Congress ahead of the 2023 legislative elections last year, returned to the BJP on Thursday.
Shettar rejoined the BJP in the national capital in the presence of former Karnakata chief minister BS Yediyurappa, Union Minister Bhupender Singh Yadav, Karnataka BJP president Vijayendra Yediyurappa, and Union Minister of State Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
“Bharatiya Janata Party is my home. I came back to my home,” Shettar said, speaking to reporters on Thursday.
Shettar said he had a meeting with the party’s national leadership, Amit Shah and JP Nadda, on Thursday, as well as state leaders BY Vijayendra and BS Yediyurappa, and joined the BJP following their guidance.
“Today I joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. Today morning, I met our national leaders, Amit Shah and JP Nadda. They heartily welcomed me. In Karnataka, I met the state party president, BY Vijayendra, BS Yediyurappa, and other leaders. They also welcomed me. I joined them according to their guidance,” he said.
Responding to a question asked by a reporter on contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the former Chief Minister said, “Whatever the high command directs, I will do.” (ANI)
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra at State Executive Committee meeting. (ANI)