BENGALURU: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) high command has set a target for senior leader B S Yediyurappa to campaign in Athani and Hubballi-Dharwad constituency where Laxman Savadi and Jagadish Shettar, who recently quit the party, are contesting on Congress tickets.
The BJP is targeting candidates of the Opposition Congress in Athani and Hubballi-Dharwad constituencies where Laxman Savadi and Jagadish Shettar are both strong Lingayat community leaders. Yediyurappa has been tasked with holding mega campaigns in the two constituencies and he has already prepared a master plan to defeat them.
The saffron party will hold a mega convention in Athani with party workers on Thursday and a confidential meeting will be held in Hubli-Dharwad Central constituency with local BJP leaders to discuss the strategy. Ramesh Jarkiholi will also play his cards against Savadi in Athani as he has vowed to ensure the latter’s defeat.
The BJP high command has tasked Yediyurappa with ensuring the win of BJP candidate Mahesh Tenginakai in Hubli-Dharwad Central where the party has a huge cadre of the party, but Shettar’s influence cannot be discounted. A tough fight awaits the party in Athani too.
On Wednesday, Yediyurappa addressed a huge public programme in Athani in support of the party’s candidate Mahesh Kumathalli. He was accompanied by Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, Ramesh Jarkiholi and other local leaders.
“I will take the responsibility of defeating Jagdish Shettar and Savadi as well. Mahesh will win with 25,000 to 30,000 votes. No one can stop this. Congress is a sinking boat. They won only 4 to 5 seats in Uttar Pradesh”, he said.
“Modi and Amit Shah have decided that it is certain that BJP will get majority and form the government in Karnataka. Laxman Savadi betrayed the BJP, though he had a term of 5 years and 2 months in the Legislative Council. Savadi will surely go home this time. BJP will get more than 130 seats and will be formed”, Yediyurappa thundered.