PM says BJP preparing ‘young team’ to lead K’taka’s development journey in next 25 years

NEW DELHI: With an aim of giving the leadership of the state’s development to the younger generation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is preparing a “young team” in Karnataka who will lead the state’s progress journey in the next 25 years, contributing to the vision of developed India. The Prime Minister’s remarks came while interacting with the Karnataka BJP workers virtually.

Notably, the BJP gave chances to over 50 new faces in its list of 224 candidates for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly polls, resulting in the denial of tickets to some senior leaders of the party including Jagadish Shettar, Laxman Savadi and others, who ultimately quit the party and joined the Congress to get the ticket.

PM Modi, during his interaction with party workers, highlighted the difference between the BJP and other parties. “The biggest difference between the BJP and other parties is of approach. The BJP is working on the roadmap of development of India in the next 25 years, our rivals’ agenda is to grab power. Our agenda is to make the country developed in 25 years and make it free from poverty and promote the youth’s capabilities. The BJP is making a young team in Karnataka to give leadership to the development journey of the state in the next 25 years. It is our effort to make numerous global hubs in Karnataka like Bengaluru”, he said.

BJP general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje and party workers at the BJP office in Bengaluru on Thursday.

Responding to a question on the meaning of ‘double-engine government’ by a party worker, the Prime Minister said that it refers to the fast pace of development. “The meaning of double-engine government is the double speed of development. Where there are BJP’s double-engine governments, it has been an experience that the welfare schemes for the poor are implemented with pace. There are some states which change the name of the schemes”, he said.

PM Modi said that he will visit Karnataka to join the BJP’s election campaign in a few days. “I will visit Karnataka in a couple of days to receive the blessings of the people of the state. BJP leaders who have campaigned in the state have said that they received a lot of affection from the people there. This shows people’s confidence in BJP,” he said.

In Bengaluru, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmer Welfare, who spoke to media persons at the party office after the interaction with the PM, said, “The interaction with the PM has filled BJP workers with more enthusiasm. He has set a task for us for the next 13-14 days to go house to house and convince voters. The warranty card of the Congress has expired and their guarantees hold no value”.

Further, she said, “The PM said the state and Centre will stand shoulder to shoulder for Karnataka’s progress. He asked us to win the booths and promised that he will win the state for the BJP. We will all work unitedly towards this”.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said in Hubballi, “The PM had a detailed interatction with the party workers and made several suggestions, mainly to strengthen the party at the booth level. If we win at the booth level, we will win in all seats, he advised. We have already organised ourselves in this direction. He also spoke about how the double engine government has worked in Karnataka in improving infrastructure”.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said, “The interaction will definitely boost the morale of the party workers and it has filled them with enthusiasm. The PM has given detailed explanation about how we will approach the election, the benefits of a double engine government”.