BENGALURU: With the battle over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state intensifying and local body elections approaching fast, BJP’s top leadership on Sunday met in Bengaluru to fine-tune an aggressive political and organisational strategy against the Congress government.
The BJP core committee meeting was attended by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, state party president BY Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka, Leader of Opposition in the Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, former CM DV Sadananda Gowda, former Deputy CMs Govind Karjol, now an MP, and Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, former MLA Nirmal Kumar Surana, besides other senior leaders. It assumes significance as party prepares for a series of electoral contests culminating in the 2028 Assembly polls.
While BJP did not officially disclose the details, party sources said the ongoing SIR dominated the deliberations. The party, which has already taken its objections to the Election Commission, accused the Congress government of trying to influence the revision process.
Joshi and BJP alliance partner -- JDS state president and Union minister HD Kumaraswamy and Ashoka are expected to meet the chief electoral officer and express their views on the alleged government’s wrongdoing. The meeting discussed how to take up the legal options as well as launch a statewide political campaign to protest against the process that they said concerned the integrity of the state’s electoral process.
The meeting reviewed preparations for the Hiriyur Assembly bypoll, which will be fought jointly by BJP and JDS.
It deliberated on MLC elections for teachers and graduates constituencies, for which the the decision will be taken ahead of the polls.
The core committee is believed to have discussed the disciplinary issue of BJP leaders going to the media and making statements embarrassing the party. Such legislators will be issued notices and disciplinary action considered against them, the sources said.
Analysts believe that Sunday’s meeting could mark the beginning of the BJP’s next phase of mobilisation in Karnataka. The party is expected to launch a campaign around SIR, while simultaneously stepping up attack on the DKS government.