Nadda links attacks on religious processions to BJP’s state poll wins

Nadda, who was here to take part in the state executive meet, on Sunday gave a clarion call to the saffron outfit to move forward with the agenda of development, to return to power in the 2023 assembly elections.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda on the second day of his two-day visit in Vijayangara district, about 320km from Bengaluru, invoked the name of senior BJP leaders, including Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, former chief minister (CM) BS Yediyurappa to inspire the party cadre to “march towards development”.

Bellary, Apr 17 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President JP Nadda with Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai and other dignitaries as he arrives at Jindal Airport, Touranagallu (Karnataka), in Bellary on Sunday. (ANI Photo) (ANI)

Nadda also claimed that recent communal violence during yatras taken out on Ram Navmi and Hanuman Jayanti are a “conspiracy” to cause disintegration in the society, and accused the Congress of acting in the “most irresponsible” manner.“The historic mandate given to the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur has jolted some people. Hence in desperation they have associated themselves with the conspiracies of those who work to disintegrate the society. Due to this, there have been attacks on processions during Hanuman Jayanti and Ram Navami,” he said.

Nadda’s visit comes in the backdrop of state minister KS Eshwarappa’s resignation after the Karnataka rural development and panchayat raj minister was booked on the charges of abetting the suicide of contractor Santosh Patil.

Nadda, who was here to take part in the state executive meet, on Sunday gave a clarion call to the saffron outfit to move forward with the agenda of development, to return to power in the 2023 assembly elections.

“With the blessings of Modi and Yediyurappa and under the leadership of chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, this is the golden time of Karnataka where it can march towards development,” Nadda said, as per news agency PTI.

“We will seek a positive mandate from farmers, women and weaker sections for our good governance, enforcing law and order, maintaining unity and integrity of state and nation. We will go to the people with our performance report card and win their hearts . Let us make the lotus bloom in the hearts of the people and the third floor of Vidhana Soudha,” chief minister Bommai said during his address.

Terming Modi’s leadership as a great strength for the party, Bommai said, we are marching ahead under his leadership to script a glorious future for the state and the country.

Nadda’s visit comes at the time when the major political parties, including Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) or JD(S) have kicked off their election campaigns in Karnataka for next year’s polls, which is followed by the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will defend his two-terms in office.

Karnataka holds relevance for the BJP as it is the only state in the south where the saffron outfit has formed a government and considers it as a gateway to other states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Other parties have been talking about regionalism, language and caste, but they cannot spare even a few words for the poor, the BJP national president added.

Slamming Congress, Bommai said, “They had lost control of the administration when in power encouraging the anti-national elements. They remained mute spectators when rioters attacked DJ Halli police station and burnt down the residence of their own party MLA. They do not want peace and harmony in the society. Their vote bank politics has further emboldened the disruptive elements.”

The CM’s statements come at a time when the state has been making headlines as several incidents of communal tensions have been reported here on the account of accusations that a free-hand is being given to right-wing organisations, who have been targeting Muslims over issues like hijab, halal meat row, banning them from setting up stalls during religious fairs, giving boycott calls against Muslim vendors among others.

Nadda’s visit also raises hopes for a cabinet expansion in Karnataka which has been the cause for a considerable amount of infighting within the saffron unit. As of now, there are five vacant berths in the 34-member cabinet and with just one year to go, party legislators are openly demanding that they be filled as it would give them adequate time to prove themselves before the elections.

Taking a dig at the Congress, Nadda called them a brother-sister party.

“Listen to my words carefully, the Indian and National in the Indian National Congress is wiped out. They are neither Indian nor national and have been reduced to power in just two states. The Congress, your main rival in the upcoming 2023 elections, has become only a party of brother and sister,” Nadda said.

With agency inputs