BENGALURU: The BJP government in Karnataka is set to complete two years in office on Monday amid uncertainty over the leadership issue. Senior BJP leader and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister KS Eshwarappa said the uncertainty will end soon.
Excerpts from an interview:
Your government is completing two years in office amid political uncertainty.
The government has done well on all fronts and managed the Covid-19 pandemic well. We formed task forces even at the Gram Panchayat level, covered all houses and made all efforts to fight the pandemic. The government’s performance has been good on all fronts.
There is so much ambiguity on the leadership issue for many months. Is it not impacting governance in the state?
Such a situation would not have arisen had we got majority on our own in the 2018 elections. People asked us to govern the state, but did not give us full majority. That was a setback for us. Our central leaders have addressed all the issues and there are no problems in the party now.
But what about leadership issue?
That is up to our central leaders and Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa. Everyone will abide by whatever decision they take.
When will this uncertainty end?
Chief Minister Yediyurappa has himself made it clear that he will get instructions (from the party high command) by this weekend and that he will act accordingly. I think it will end soon.
Who will be the next CM?
Whoever the central leaders pick will become the next CM and there is no question about it.
The Opposition Congress says BJP is looking for a new face in the state as it failed to deliver. How do you respond?
The Congress keeps making such allegations to cover up its failures and is hoping that people will forget its performance in the elections. They are yet to tell people why they lost the 2018 Assembly election, and why they could win just one out of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state.