Shah in poll-bound Karnataka; development projects, BJP huddles in itinerary

Amit Shah arrived in Karnataka with a special focus on the Old Mysuru region as he inaugurated a mega dairy in Mandya ahead of the upcoming assembly polls early in 2023.

Union home minister Amit Shah is in poll-bound Karnataka on a two-day visit. He arrived in Bengaluru yesterday night and was welcomed by chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, his cabinet colleagues, state BJP president Nalin Kateel and other party leaders.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a public meeting in Mandya. (ANI)

“Honorable Shri @AmitShah, Union Home and Cooperation Minister who arrived in the state to participate in the inauguration and foundation stone programs of various development projects and party meetings in the state, was warmly welcomed in Bangalore,” Bommai wrote on Twitter and shared pictures of the union minister's welcome into the southern state.

On Friday, Shah was in the Vokkaliga-dominated Old Mysuru region. He inaugurated a dairy in Mandya, built at a cost of ₹260 crore and having a capacity of 10 lakh litres per day which will be increased to 14 lakh litres.

“Today Mega Dairy was inaugurated in Mandya, Karnataka. At a cost of ₹260 crores, this dairy has a capacity of 10 lakh liters per day. Milk can be processed. In the coming days it will be increased to 14 lakh liters per day. It is helpful to increase the income of small scale milk producing farmers,” Shah wrote on Twitter.

Shah, who is also the union minister of cooperation, added two lakh primary dairies will be set up at village level across the country in three years, which will associate farmers with the white revolution, and make India a big exporter in the milk sector.

Addressing a public meeting in Mandya, the home minister launched an all out attack on Congress and Janata Dal Secular.

"Enough of JD(S)-Congress, Congress-JD(S) this time Mandya, the Mysuru region should make BJP win with full majority. Congress and JD(S) are both parivaarvadi (dynastic politics) parties, they are corrupt parties," he said.

Shah will be back in Bengaluru later today to take part in a Cooperative convention at the city's Palace Grounds and attend a BJP meeting thereafter. After a breakfast meeting with party leaders, the minister will be laying the foundation stone of the Central Intelligence Training Institute.

Shah is also scheduled to participate in another convention for BJP's booth presidents and booth level agents at the Palace grounds, before flying back to Delhi.

(With PTI inputs)