BENGALURU: With the BJP trying to make inroads into Old Mysuru, the party’s National General Secretary Arun Singh expressed confidence that the party will make significant gains in the region in the 2023 polls. “Old Mysuru is a challenge, but we are working on it.
This time we will have major gains in the region,” Singh told The New Indian Express. Ahead of the 2023 polls, the party will focus on further strengthening the organisation and leaders from other parties will be inducted, especially in the areas where the party is weak, he said.
Slamming the Opposition Congress for making a flurry of allegations against the government, Singh said the Congress has become a “conspiracy party” and trying to build a false narrative. He blamed the Congress for allegations made by the State Contractors Association stating that some people supported by the party are making those allegations.
“We don’t have to counter everything; if we do that the issue will only become bigger. We have to take a bigger line and show that we have worked for people. That is what we did in Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand,” Singh said, explaining that the government and the party will focus on the development agenda. “Development will be the focus.
The image of the government and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is good and we need to educate people about the CM and government works,” he said. The government is not on the defensive, but it cannot be on the offensive too. It has to work for people, he said.
Singh ruled out any changes in the leadership. “Sometimes the narrative will be around corruption and sometimes it will be about replacing Bommai or (BJP state president) Nalin Kumar Kateel. There will be no changes in any positions. They are doing good work and they will continue,” he said.
Dynasty politics
Responding to a question on the BJP’s decision to recommend B S Yediyurappa’s son B Y Vijayendra’s name for the Legislative Council polls when the party accuses Congress of dynastic politics, Singh said they cannot deny an opportunity for a leader’s son if he works for the party.
“We are talking about the parties like Congress that are controlled by families as there will be no checks and balances in place,” he said. Singh said the party is confident of winning three Rajya Sabha seats from the state and the BJP Central Election Committee will decide on the strategies. The BJP can comfortably win two seats.