NEW DELHI: With an aim to retain power in poll-bound Karnataka, but this time with over 150 seats, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJ) has announced that it will be kickstarting a 20-day mega Vijay Sankalp Yatra starting from March 1.
Giving details about the mega campaign, in the ‘gateway to the south’ for BJP, party national general secretary C T Ravi on Thursday said that the Yatra will start from four places in Karnataka and its preparations have started.
Speaking to ANI, he said, “A Mahakumbh will also be held in Dhavalagiri. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend that Mahakumbh, and this will give out a big message among the public, which will be a turning point in Karnataka, this is our faith and belief”.
On the possibility of a pre-poll or post-election alliance with Janata Dal-Secular in the state, the party leader said the BJP does not believe in alliance as they will come to power for the second consecutive time, but this time with a clear majority. “Earlier we didn’t get full majority, but this time we are appealing to the public to give us full majority”, he added.
To a question about Lingayat support for the party, C T Ravi said that he is assured of the support from the community. He also said that since 1998 in Karnataka, the BJP has maintained consistency in winning the parliamentary seats.
On Muslim voters’ mood in the upcoming election, the BJP leader said that as the welfare schemes of the Central government are not community-centric and are not implemented keeping one community in mind, everyone is a beneficiary of the government’s schemes and will vote for the party.
Commenting on Karnataka BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel’s statement, C T Ravi said Tipu Sultan’s ideology is wrong and it’s anti-Kannada, so such ideas should not be alive and such ideologies are harmful to the culture and the country. “Tipu Sultan’s idea reflects the making of an Islamic state and, if this ideology spreads in our society, we can’t save our culture and India”, he said.
Earlier this month, BJP state chief Nalin Kumar Kateel stoked a controversy by saying that the upcoming Assembly election in Karnataka is all “about Tipu vs Savarkar.”
Addressing a gathering in Shivmogga, he said, “This (Assembly) election is all about Tipu vs Savarkar. They (Congress) allowed celebration of Tipu Jayanti, which was not required, and spoke disgracefully about Savarkar. I challenge Siddaramaiah to discuss if our country needs a patriot like Savarkar, or Tipu”. (ANI)