Bengaluru, Jun 23 (DHNS): A day after the Congress government announced crop loan waiver up to Rs 50,000, the state BJP on Thursday decided to step up its preparations for the next Assembly polls.

The BJP is of the view that the state government announced the loan waiver scheme with an eye on the polls and is even anticipating early Assembly elections. The saffron party leaders believe that the ruling party may advance the polls to December this year.

On Thursday, BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa chaired a series of meetings at the party headquarters in Bengaluru. He held discussions with party office-bearers and interacted with district presidents and general secretaries.

The party has drawn up a plan wherein at least 100 workers from each Assembly constituency would be working for 15 days in places assigned to them. Yeddyurappa said they should work towards expanding and strengthening the party base, expose the “misdeeds” of the state government, visit local party leaders, examine the voters’ list and identify potential BJP voters and hold interaction with booth-committee members among others. This exercise should be completed by July 25, he said.

Yeddyurappa said the party cadres should be prepared for early Assembly polls. He reiterated that the government announced the loan waiver scheme following pressure from the BJP. However, loan waiver up to Rs 50,000 was not sufficient and the waiver amount should be increased to Rs 1 lakh, he demanded. He also charged the state government with misusing grants provided by the Centre.

BJP general secretary and MP Shobha Karandlaje told reporters that BJP national president Amit Shah will be visiting the state for three days from August 3. On August 2, Shah will hold meetings with party functionaries in Belagavi and then reach Bengaluru, where he will stay for two days. The BJP is planning to hold a public meeting in Bengaluru and a final decision in this regard will be taken soon, she said.

Elections not to be advanced: Congress

Speculation is rife in the political circles that the ruling Congress is planning to advance the Assembly elections following the state government’s decision to waive farm loans up to Rs 50,000. The elections are likely to be held in either April or May next year. However, it is speculated that the ruling party may advance it to either December this year or January 2018 when the elections to the Gujarat Assembly are likely to be held. This, it is believed, will help thwart the Narendra Modi wave to a large extent in Karnataka.

Leaders of both the opposition parties, the BJP and the JD(S), are of the view that the state may witness early elections. However, the state Congress leaders have strongly denied it. “It is all rumours. The party government will complete full five-year term and the elections will not be advanced. There is no such thinking in the party,” Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee working president Dinesh Gundu Rao said. Sources in the Congress said senior leaders held a discussion on the possibility of advancing the elections a few days ago, but no decision was taken.