Shah in K'taka, declares 'Ab Ki Baar, BJP Sarkar'

Sounding the poll bugle in Karnataka, BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday kicked off his visit to the state, declaring that the party stands united and said, 'Ab Ki Baar, BJP Sarkar'(This time, a BJP government).

Shah, who is in Karnataka on a three-day visit to re-energise a faction-riven state unit, asserted that the party was ready for the electoral battle to win the assembly polls under the leadership of BJP state unit chief B S Yeddyurappa.

"Friends, our party stands united, and is geared up to take to the electoral battlefield under the leadership of Yeddyurappaji in coming days, and see to it that we form a BJP government in the state," Shah told party workers near the Kempe Gowda International Airport here. Assembly polls in Karnataka are due early next year for which the party has a 150-plus seats goal to come back to power.

Shah is scheduled to interact with partymen at various levels and expected to give a pep talk to senior leaders to remain united, as the open bickerings between some of its leaders until recently had embarrassed the party.

Yeddyurappa has come under criticism from a section of partymen over his alleged "arbitrary style" of functioning with another senior leader K S Eshwarappa openly flagging the issue until both were told to shun open display of differences.

"I am hopeful that the way the party, for the last five years, has been fighting against the corrupt, oppressive and polarising rule of the Congress, the people of this great state of Karnataka have decided to vote the BJP to power," Shah said.

Addressing the party workers who gave him a rousing reception near the airport, Shah said he had come here to realise the goal of forming the next BJP government in Karnataka. "I have come here amidst BJP workers to realise 'Ab Ki Baar, BJP Sarkar' (This time, a BJP government) resolution," he added.