The ruling BJP has swung into action for ULB elections on Saturday, by holding a meeting of its state and district office-bearers, sitting members of the ULBs and prominent leaders.
The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, his deputies K S Eshwarappa and R Ashok, BJP national general secretary H N Ananth Kumar and several ministers. The thrust of the meeting was to improve party’s tally in the ULBs as the results would have a bearing on the Assembly polls due in May.
Currently, the BJP is ruling in three corporations, 12 city municipal council, 23 town municipal councils and 19 town panchayats and in all it has 1492 members.
The party is depending on the achievements of its first-ever government in the state, particularly the developments carried out under the CM’s Nagarothan Programme in urban areas. The BJP which faces the treat of the anti-incumbency factor, will also highlight the failures and the scams of the UPA government.
“We are confident that the people will vote for our performance,” BJP spokesman and MLC Raghunath Malkapure told reporters after the meeting.
The day-long meeting also decided to leave the most crucial aspect of the polls — selection of candidates — to the committees set up at district and taluk levels to avoid dissident activities. These committees were told to select candidates by consensus as far as possible, keeping in mind that any lapses would benefit the new parties like BSR Congress and KJP.
“These committee will choose the candidates based on the local feedback. The winnability will be the prime criterion,” Malkapure said, adding that the selection of candidates would be over by February 19.