BENGALURU: The New Sunday Express caught up with Muralidhar Rao, National General Secretary of the BJP, for a quick chat on Saturday, while the Congress-JDS coalition found itself without the support of 13 MLAs.
The BJP’s view on the spate of resignations?
We are not doing anything. We are watching the so-called ‘empire’ collapse. We will do something only once things are clear. The Governor will take a call on this. However, this alliance is doomed.
Sources say Amit Shah himself is monitoring the situation. Any advice by him?
BJP leaders or party presidents will never monitor the resignations of other party leaders. We have no instruction or advice currently, all that will come later, after the Governor’s call.
The BJP never works without a strategy, was there one for the toppling of this government as the ruling party has alleged?
It is utter stupidity. Their failure is getting exhibited and exposed. Leaders of both parties are insecure. The people’s mandate was for the BJP and they formed the Government without talks, how is the BJP responsible for this? I don’t understand.
There are talks of a more clinical operation Kamala this time around. BSY is nowhere to be seen?
These are all statements by other parties. The alliance does not require outside force, it has adequate internal conflicts and inconsistencies. This alliance was the reason for our overwhelming majority in parliament.
Will AH Vishwanath and other Congress MLAs join the Saffron party?
(Laughing) You know, it is speculation once again. When such things happen we will announce it ourselves. But our doors are not closed, we are welcoming everyone to the party. People who come from other parties, they will have to train to work like a BJP member.
There is infighting in your state unit as well. What measures have you taken to counter it?
As Prabhari, I don’t see anything. You are calling healthy competition as infighting. The BJP allows everyone to grow in the party and anyone can become state president. If there is any problem we also have a process of internal correction in place.
Will we see the emergence of new leadership as there is a group which says we do not want Yeddyurappa to be Chief Minister?
I don’t agree with what you say. We have got votes in the name of Yeddyurappa, he is the opposition leader and candidate for CM.
Could you talk about BJP making inroads into Vokkaliga strongholds in Old Mysuru area?
BJP is a party which does not accept community-driven politics. We want to make inroads into every community and every territory every area. Space vacated by Congress and JDS is space to be filled up by the BJP.
Do you think Rahul Gandhi’s exit is a correction for the Congress?
Any leader who has become the leader because of the family’s power, if he goes, then that will definitely dilute the grip and help the spread of internal democracy. This is my ideological view. I don’t have any personal animosity against any leader.