BENGALURU: Both the BJP’s Core Committee and State Executive Committee meetings will be held in Vokkaliga stronghold of Hassan. While the Core Committee is scheduled to meet on April 18, the State Executive will hold meetings on April 18 and 19, party sources told The New Indian Express.The number of participants at both meets has been reduced because of the Covid situation. At the State Executive, though originally around 330-plus party leaders and workers were to participate, it has been reduced to just about 180, leaving out district general secretaries, who number about three per district.
The State Executive may hold workshops for gram panchayat members who were recently elected with BJP support, and will also discuss the upcoming zilla and taluk panchayat elections. Excise Minister
K Gopalaiah — a Vokkaliga, who shifted from JDS to BJP, has been given the task of organising the events.
The original plan was to hold the State Executive in Kalaburagi on April 19, but was dropped as the day time temperature in the city hits over 40 degrees Celsius and also because the model code of conduct will be in place due to bypolls to Basavkalyan and Maski Assembly constituencies.
Asked about the intent of the party in holding the meetings in Vokkaliga heartland, sources said that party state unit president Nalin Kumar Kateel has decided to hold the meetings in different districts, and this time it was the turn of Hassan. Already, the meetings have been held in Mangaluru, Shivamogga and Belagavi.
Party office-bearers, BJP Morcha representatives, divisional heads and the core committee members will be part of the meeting. Party spokesman Ganesh Karnik said, “The party’s organisational activities over the past three months and the schedule for the next three months too will be discussed.’’