Ballari: Newly-elected Ballari zilla panchayat members of the BJP are busy taking lessons on the party’s ideology from none other than Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Yashwant Parsekar.
Along with Mr Parsekar, Goa’s minister for industries Mr Mahadev N Naik too is teaching the saffron party’s basics to the 21 ZP members of the party who have taken shelter in a Panjim resort fearing ‘Operation Hasta’ by the Congress party, since February 25.
Apprehending ‘Operation Hasta’on the lines of its own ‘Operation Kamala’, the BJP leaders have sent all 21 newly-elected ZP members on a tour to Goa.
Sources said Mr Parsekar is personally taking care of the Ballari ZP members, for whom 22 rooms have been booked in a posh resort in Goa. Besides, he has instructed the resort management to ensure security for ZP members. Sources said ZP members are enjoying their time visiting beaches, churches and temples in Goa and neighbouring Maharashtra.
Local BJP MP B. Sriramulu has confirmed that the members were sent on a tour, with a view to prevent horse-trading by the Congress. The move of the BJP is a sequel to a reported attempt by the Congress to get three of the newly elected BJP members in Sandur taluk into its fold.
The Congress has won 17 of the 40 seats, while the BJP has won 21, enjoying a simple majority to take over the zilla panchayat in Ballari. The two Independents who have won are Congress rebel candidates.
If the three BJP members had fallen prey to Operation Hasta, the Congress could have increased its strength with the support of the two Independents and gained a simple majority to wrest control of the ZP from the BJP.
On learning about the Congress’ impending move, Mr. Sriramulu and other party leaders, rushed to Sandur and ensured that the two members were kept in a safe place.
He also held a meeting with B.S. Anand Singh, Hosapete MLA, Gali Somashekhar Reddy, M.S. Somalingappa, Mrutyunjaya Jinaga, all former legislators and BJP district unit president Nemiraj Naik, where a decision was taken to send the newly elected party members on a tour.
Sources said the BJP members would return to Ballari only on the day of the election of the president and vice-president of the ZP after the announcement of reservation for the ZP chief’s post. Incidentally, Operation Lotus was the brainchild of the Reddy brothers of Ballari, which helped them play an important role in the formation of the BJP government in the State in 2008.
