Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Feb 18: Sources within BJP have revealed that the party's national president, Amit Shah, has expressed strong resentment at the party's insufficient pre-poll preparations in Karnataka. Shah is already agitated at the discomfiture the party had to suffer because of 'Operation Lotus' audio leak.

Amit shah has noted that Lok Sabha election preparations are going on in full swing in various states. At the same time, he has noted with disdain that in Karnataka, where BJP has a strong base, the preparations are lackluster. Therefore, Shah wants to convene meetings on his own, apart from taking part in the coming core committee meeting here.

Amit Shah will be visiting the state on February 21 to convene a meeting of heads of BJP 'Shakti Kendras' from Chikkaballapur, Kolar and nearby constituencies. During this visit, he will also hold meeting of BJP in-charges of all the 28 constituencies in the state, and other leaders. During this visit, he is likely to issue clearcut instructions about the preparations to be made for the Lok Sabha election.

The BJP national leadership had given guidance to leaders of Shakti Kendras, in-charges of constituencies, in-charge office bearers, and office bearers of Morchas to prepare the ground for the coming election. But the top leadership is learnt to be unhappy at the lack of preparations in Karnataka.

The party has noted that all over India including Karnataka, there is good opinion about BJP. The party needs to tread the path carefully to make sure that the past mistakes are not repeated and the party proceeds with caution. The people posted as in-charges of constituencies have been directed to function in that capacity effectively.

Sources said that Shah expressed his anger at the functioning style of the state BJP during the period he took part in a meeting of Shakti Kendra heads from Raichur, Ballari and Koppalal districts at Sindhanur on February 14.