Arun Singh, the BJP national general secretary and state in charge of Karnataka and Rajasthan, says the party will win more seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections than in the 2019 polls.
“The party is progressing well as part of ‘mission south.’ The induction of BS Yediyurappa in the apex decision-making body of the party will benefit the organization not only in the south but also in other parts of the country,” says Singh in an interview with Rajesh Kumar Thakur.
How is the BJP prepared to retain power in Karnataka as part of Mission South?
Under Basavaraj Bommai’s watch, the state government has done much for the people, including farmers. There is a ‘double-engine’ government there. The state BJP has stood united under the leadership of the CM.
However, Congress is a divided house with infighting involving supporters of Siddaramaiah and D Shivkumar. The BJP has tackled all problems created by the opposition such as the hijab controversy. The BJP’s USP will be ‘development without appeasement.’
The BJP has recently won gram panchayats polls. In the old Mysore region and Kalyan-Karnataka regions, many grassroots-level leaders have joined the BJP.
There is a buzz about the change of guard ahead of assembly elections?
All this is a creation of Congress. They have nothing to do except rumour-mongering as part of their failed electoral strategy. There is no question of a change of guard. Bommai is a mature, experienced leader who believes in the party’s ideology of ‘sabka saath sabka vikas.’
How can Yediyurappa help the party after being included in the parliamentary board?
He is one of the most experienced leaders of the party. He has been the chief minister four times and thrice the leader of the Opposition. He has been MLA for eight times.
The BJP will fight elections under his guidance. He will be addressing public meetings, touring and campaigning for the party.
However, the party will fight the election under BS Bommai’s leadership with the guidance of Yediyurappa whose induction in the parliamentary board will benefit the party.
The grapevine is that Nitin Gadkari has been dropped due to his differences with the central leadership. How far is it true?
It is totally misleading and false. The change in system keeps happening within the party. This adds to the party’s prestige, as it is a part of the party’s internal democracy. This has not been influenced by any differences. There is no difference at any level.
How far has the BJP’s ‘mission south’ progressed?
The BJP is hopeful to win a huge number of seats in southern states.
In Telangana, the party is expanding its support base. The party is reaching the people across south India and getting a tremendous response. As part of ‘mission south’, after Karnataka, Telangana is the top priority of the party and we are working to come to power. We have a galaxy of leaders there.
One of the prominent leaders of Telangana has been included in the parliamentary board. He is Dr K Laxman, national president of the OBC Morcha, who is a Rajya Sabha MP from UP. G Krishna Reddy is also the party’s prominent and influential leader.
Infighting is going on within the Rajasthan BJP. How will your party come to power?
The Congress-ruled Rajasthan has lawlessness beyond control. The state has returned to jungle raj with rampant corruption. There is nothing to claim that there is any government. Ashok Gahlot has tried hard to save his CM’s chair. The BJP will fight the Assembly polls on the issues of crime and corruption with the collective leadership of PM Modi. There is no infighting in the state unit of the party.
How many Congress MLAs in Rajasthan are in touch with you?
There are many Congress leaders, including some MLAs, who want to join the BJP. Ours is an old organization in Rajasthan. We will take a final decision on welcoming such leaders after proper consultation.