BENGALURU: Senior BJP and JDS leaders on Friday, held a meeting to discuss measures to ensure proper coordination among leaders and workers from both parties to ensure the victory of NDA candidates in the Lok Sabha elections. Top leaders, including Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, former CMs BS Yediyurappa, HD Kumaraswamy, and BJP state president BY Vijayendra, attended the meeting.
Addressing leaders from both parties, Gowda said they all must forget what happened in the past and work together for the victory of BJP-JDS candidates as time is short. “Our opponents are strong, don’t think we are going to win all 28 seats, unless and until we forget what differences we had in the past and work together,” Gowda said.
He appealed to BJP and JDS workers to work together for the sake of the nation as only Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah can resolve the problems facing the nation. The former PM expressed concerns about Congress spending huge amounts of money on the elections.
He accused Congress leaders in the state of supplying money to other states during elections and asked senior leaders of both parties to take resource management seriously and focus on working as a cohesive team in all the constituencies. Gowda slammed Congress leaders who questioned the JDS’ strength and assured leaders from both parties that he would do his best to convince voters. He told them to give a befitting response to Siddaramaiah.
BJP state president BY Vijayendra said though BJP and JDS had formed an alliance in 2006, former PM Gowda had not approved it due to ideological reasons, but now Gowda is fully backing it.
Vijayendra said leaders from both parties have already started campaigning together in all the LS segments and workers from both parties have got a clear message.
Former CM HD Kumaraswamy said for some unavoidable reasons, the BJP-JDS alliance in 2006 did not last long. If both the parties had formed an alliance in 2018, they would have probably continued to be in power, he said.
Former chief minister BS Yediyurappa expressed confidence that they will win all 28 seats. BJP and JDS are forming coordination committees at the state, district, and assembly constituency levels to ensure proper coordination between BJP, which is contesting from 25 seats, and leaders from JDS, which is contesting from three seats.
Sumalatha’s support sought
After the meeting, Vijayendra met Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambareesh to seek support for JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy, who will be contesting from Mandya.
Sumalatha, who won the 2019 LS polls as an independent candidate, was trying hard for the BJP ticket. Vijayendra said Sumalatha informed him that she would hold a meeting with her supporters in Mandya on Friday and announce her decision.
