Mangalore: Yeddyurappa Episode will Not Affect Advani's Yatra: Eshwarappa
Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)
Mangalore, Oct 15: BJP State president K S Eshwarappa arrived in the city on Saturday October 15 to inspect the preparations in the district for Advani’s Jan Chetna Yatra which is to reach here at the end of this month.
Addressing reporters here after his visit to Ullal for a party meeting, he informed that Advani will arrive in Bangalore on October 30 and will be in Mangalore and Udupi on Oct 31.
He added that October 15 was a "bad day" for the party as its former chief minister Yeddyurappa was arrested in graft cases but asserted that senior party leader L K Advani's yatra would go through the state regardless.
Replying to queries of journalists, he said that Advani’s Rath Yatra will not be affected by the Yeddyurappa episode. "Yeddyurappa was made to resign from the CM post, whereas at the centre Sheila Dixith and Chidambaram did not resign from their posts despite facing allegations," he said.
"The law will take its course and we are confident that Yeddyurappa will come out clean," he said.
About Rath Yatra arriving only in the coastal districts of Karnataka, he said it was not because of any special priority given to coastal region, but just a random decision. Fuming over opposition Congress leader Siddaramaiah’s comment on power crisis in the state, the BJP state president said that Siddaramaiah is unfit to be the opposition leader as he speaks without any facts and figures. In fact, for the current power crisis both the central and the state governments are responsible.
"As previous governments did not project it in the right way, the state was able to produce only 6000 MW of electricity instead of the required 12,000 MW. However, efforts are on to open additional units in Gulbarga, Raichur and Bellary. Out of the 8 units in Raichur, 5 were 25 years old, however, additional 6000 MW electricity will be produced," he said, adding that after energy minister Shobha Karandlaje approached coal minister Saiprakash Jaiswal, the latter agreed to provide 3000 metric ton coal which is appreciable. About Shobha Karandlaje having two ministries, Eshwarappa said she was capable of handling both.
District convenor of the Yatra, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said that around 1000 people will come from Beltangady to Mangalore on foot. Also, people from Bantwal will join them. In all 50,000 people’s support is expected, he said. There will be a stage programme in Nehru Maidan.