Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Sep 5: Although newly appointed union railway minister, Piyush Goyal, is facing the task of looking after his mother, who collapsed due to low blood pressure during the swearing in ceremony at Rahshtrapati Bhavan and is in a hospital now, he responded to party's call. Newly appointed election-in-charge for Karnataka, Prakash Javadekar, who happens to be the union human resources development minister, and co-in-charge, Piyush Goyal, held meeting with the core committee here on Monday September 4 to assess the current political situation in the state.
After holding meeting with the core committee, the two took part in a meeting with political affairs committee, which has been formed by bringing together senior party leaders at the state level. The two then held meetings during the entire day with various leaders and also the social website department. Being relatively new to the state's politics, they tried to get a clearer picture of the political scenario in Karnataka on the first day of their visit. They reviewed the plan of the state unit of the party to strengthen the party at grassroots level and formation of booth level committees to build preparedness of the party for assembly polls.
The duo was recently appointed as poll-in-charge for Karnataka by BJP national president, Amit Shah, and this happens to be their first ever visit after assuming this responsibility. While Javadekar arrived in the city on Sunday night, Goyal , who the concerned thought would be absent, suddenly reached on Monday morning.
The state unit of the party has planned 'Nava Karnataka Parivarthana Rath Yatra' aimed at bringing before the people the maladministration and corruption of Congress government in Karnataka. The yatra is planned to cover all the 224 assembly constituencies in the state. The state leaders want it to be inaugurated either by the Prime Minister or party national president.
Javadekar reportedly advised the state leaders not to bring pressure on the party to issue tickets to the people of their choice. He said that national president, Amit Shah, will take a decision on the candidates on the basis of the reputation and image of the candidate and also chances of his victory, after holding consultations with state BJP leaders and RSS. The two were told by the BJP leaders about the 'Mangaluru Chalo' bike rally programme seeking ouster of minister, B Ramanath Rai, who the party says, is siding with anti-social elements which are out to kill BJP and RSS activists, and also demanding to ban PFI and SDPI.
Javadekar, briefing the reporters later, said that he had a cordial dialogue with state leadership. He said he is confident that the people will throw out the current government in Karnataka that is anti-farmer, anti-people, and against democracy.
On this occasion, both Javadekar and Goyal were felicitated by BJP state president, B S Yeddyurappa, central minister for chemicals and fertilizer, Anant h Kumar, and other leaders.