In Bengaluru, Amit Shah says party workers are its wealth, scoffs at some leaders’ remarks

BENGALURU: A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi participated in Opposition leader Siddaramaiah’s 75th birthday celebration, Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Bengaluru on Thursday. The visit is significant as the party leadership has been facing the heat from its own workers following a string of murders.

The party central leadership had already sought a report from the state unit and Amit Shah had warned against any complacency in the presence of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

Former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa was among the first to meet Shah at the Taj West End hotel around 8.30 am on Thursday. He is learnt to have briefed Shah about the huge turnout at the Siddaramotsava rally to mark Congress leader Siddaramaiah’s 75th birthday in Davanagere on Wednesday.

He spoke to Shah for about 15 minutes and said that the turnout was more than expected and that even the Congress and Siddaramaiah himself may have not expected such a massive crowd. Yediyurappa also discussed organisational issues. Shah is learnt to have told him that all issues will be discussed at the party fora even in Delhi.

Shah is believed to have suggested effective political strategies to counter the D K Shivakumar-Siddaramaiah combine, effective working of the party and government, effecting organisational changes after the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav programme.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai arriving to meet Amit Shah.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai met Shah later and briefed him about the string of murders in the coastal region, the brutal murder of Praveen Nettaru and the party workers’ anger.

Shah is learnt to have made his displeasure known regarding some leaders’ remarks on the resignation of BJYM office-bearers and said that the party workers are its wealth. The BJP is a cadre-based party and they are its strength, he said and asked the CM to control the damage.

Later in the day, Shah also participated in a CII event along with Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.