Modi, Advani to campaign for Karnataka state elections

BJP chief Rajnath Singh said that in the last five years, the government’s performance “had been satisfactory” and he was confident of the BJP’s return to power with a clear majority in the state.
Modi, Advani to campaign for Karnataka state elections

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and senior BJP leader L K Advani would be among the campaigners for the BJP in the Karnataka state Assembly elections, said BJP president Rajnath Singh, on Monday, while addressing a party rally at Bangalore through video-conference.

Earlier, his aircraft that was flying to Bangalore and had Leaders of Opposition in Parliament - Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley - as co-passengers, had to make an emergency landing in the capital after the flight developed a technical snag.

In his speech, Rajnath downplayed the issue of corruption in the state government and repeated that incumbent Jagadish Shettar would be the party’s chief ministerial candidate.

“We had to face some adverse situation in Karnataka... It would have been good if there was no allegation against B S Yeddyurappa. We wish we had one chief minister for five years... But I want to assure the people of Karnataka that anyone indulging in corruption will not remain in his chair in the BJP,” Rajnath said.

He said that in the last five years, the government’s performance “had been satisfactory” and he was confident of the BJP’s return to power with a clear majority in the state.

He noted that though Shettar did not get enough time to work for the welfare of the people of the state, “he performed well in the limited time he had”.

The BJP president also enumerated the achievements of the BJP Government in the state -- interest-free loans to farmers, devolution of power by empowering panchayats, rural drinking water schemes, infrastructure development and introduction of bus service in Bangalore that won several awards, besides laying the foundation of Metro Rail in Bangalore.

He said there was no possibility whatsoever of any tie-up with Yeddyurappa’s party. He also rejected suggestions that strength of his party had eroded in the state in any way following the exit of Yeddyurappa.

“BJP is not run by individuals. It is run by team spirit,” Rajnath added.

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