BJP kicks off campaign; Sushma targets Cong over graft, terrorism
22 April 2013 12:50 AM GMT
With less than two weeks to go before Karnataka votes, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday officially launched its election campaign with rallies by its national and state leaders across the state.
Senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj held a rally in Bangalore, where she attacked opposition parties. She said the Congress had failed to stop corruption and terrorism and done little to make women more secure, and asked if Karnataka’s voters wanted the same kind of government in the state.
BJP general secretary Ananth Kumar targeted Congress chief Sonia Gandhi for reading her speeches, saying: ‘Sushma Swaraj is a leader, not a reader.’
Karnataka votes on 5 May and the BJP, rocked by scams and dissidence in its five-year rule, has a tough journey ahead.
There were doubts over the last five years whether its government in Karnataka would last its full term. The government survived - barely - but despite brave words from BJP leaders, getting enough seats to form a government again will be tough.
Among the BJP’s election promises is providing rice at one rupee a kilogram to families below the poverty line. In the last elections, the party had offered rice at two rupees a kilogram but did not quite live up to the promise.
This isn’t the only way the BJP failed to meet expectations. At the start of its innings, the party boosted its slender majority with ‘Operation Lotus’, wooing legislators from the opposition Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) - a move that was widely criticised.
There was more embarrassment as chief minister BS Yeddyurappa and several ministers were accused in mining, land and other scams. Yeddyurappa was forced to step down, but the damage to the party’s image was done.
S Prakash, BJP’s spokesperson in Karnataka, insists the party unit has been cleansed since then. ‘The BJP will be focussing on its achievements and future plans. We have already released our manifesto, where we have assured rice for one rupee a kilogram and laptops and tablets for PUC students. I am sure our development agenda will take us to Vidhana Soudha again,’ he said.
The BJP faced dissidence over years, and most recently from a rebellious Yeddyurappa who quit the party. In fact, its biggest political challenge seemed to come from its own ranks.
JAITLEY ALL PRAISE FOR STATE UNIT
The party may be on the back foot in Karnataka due to allegations of corruption and non-governance, but nonetheless Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley backed the state BJP and praised it for completing the five year term inspite of challenges that they faced.
Arun Jaitley told the BJP cadre in the state while unveiling the party’s manifesto recently, ‘The BJP succeeded in installing its first government in the south five years ago. We have governed and completed (our) full term taking up challenges for the people.’
‘Whenever the party faced challenges, it stood by values rather than individuals. Politically, we have emerged cleaner, stronger and more cohesive,’ he added. The BJP has promised 25kg rice at one rupee a kg to the poor and free laptops to class 12 and college students if voted to power again.
Senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj held a rally in Bangalore, where she attacked opposition parties. She said the Congress had failed to stop corruption and terrorism and done little to make women more secure, and asked if Karnataka’s voters wanted the same kind of government in the state.
BJP general secretary Ananth Kumar targeted Congress chief Sonia Gandhi for reading her speeches, saying: ‘Sushma Swaraj is a leader, not a reader.’
Karnataka votes on 5 May and the BJP, rocked by scams and dissidence in its five-year rule, has a tough journey ahead.
There were doubts over the last five years whether its government in Karnataka would last its full term. The government survived - barely - but despite brave words from BJP leaders, getting enough seats to form a government again will be tough.
Among the BJP’s election promises is providing rice at one rupee a kilogram to families below the poverty line. In the last elections, the party had offered rice at two rupees a kilogram but did not quite live up to the promise.
This isn’t the only way the BJP failed to meet expectations. At the start of its innings, the party boosted its slender majority with ‘Operation Lotus’, wooing legislators from the opposition Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) - a move that was widely criticised.
There was more embarrassment as chief minister BS Yeddyurappa and several ministers were accused in mining, land and other scams. Yeddyurappa was forced to step down, but the damage to the party’s image was done.
S Prakash, BJP’s spokesperson in Karnataka, insists the party unit has been cleansed since then. ‘The BJP will be focussing on its achievements and future plans. We have already released our manifesto, where we have assured rice for one rupee a kilogram and laptops and tablets for PUC students. I am sure our development agenda will take us to Vidhana Soudha again,’ he said.
The BJP faced dissidence over years, and most recently from a rebellious Yeddyurappa who quit the party. In fact, its biggest political challenge seemed to come from its own ranks.
JAITLEY ALL PRAISE FOR STATE UNIT
The party may be on the back foot in Karnataka due to allegations of corruption and non-governance, but nonetheless Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley backed the state BJP and praised it for completing the five year term inspite of challenges that they faced.
Arun Jaitley told the BJP cadre in the state while unveiling the party’s manifesto recently, ‘The BJP succeeded in installing its first government in the south five years ago. We have governed and completed (our) full term taking up challenges for the people.’
‘Whenever the party faced challenges, it stood by values rather than individuals. Politically, we have emerged cleaner, stronger and more cohesive,’ he added. The BJP has promised 25kg rice at one rupee a kg to the poor and free laptops to class 12 and college students if voted to power again.
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