Bengaluru: The BJP general secretary in-charge of Karnataka, V Muralidhar Rao, on Wednesday said state unit president B.S. Yeddyurappa would continue in the post, ending speculation in the media about the Lingayat strongman's imminent exit.
Addressing his party colleagues at an event organized to felicitate 25 newly elected Members of Parliament, Mr Rao dismissed media reports in this regard as false. "The BJP does not function based on media reports. If any leader gets reports published in their favour, it will not help them. On the contrary, it will be considered a negative attribute in the party. Therefore, there is not even an iota of truth in media reports," he said while referring to speculation in vernacular media about replacement of Mr Yeddyurappa.
Mr Rao called upon party leaders to chalk out a strategy in order to intensify their agitation against the state government which, he claimed, failed on all fronts. "Our party got over 50 per cent of votes 22 LS seats. If you convert the clear lead in 25 LS seats, we can win over 150 Assembly seats. Therefore, our party leaders should continue their agitation against the state government," he added.
Besides felicitation of MPs, leaders commended the work of workers to ensure victory of party candidates in record number of constituencies.
Meanwhile, responding to former CM Siddaramaiah's barb that the BJP did not induct a single Dalit MP from the state into the cabinet, Mr Yeddyurappa said if Mr Siddaramaiah was so concerned about Dalits, he should elect Dr G. Parameshwar as CM. "I would like to challenge Mr Siddaramaiah that he should make Dr Parameshwara the CM," he added.
General secretary of the state unit, C.T. Ravi, launched a scathing attack on Mr Siddaramaiah, alleging that the leader ensured the defeat of Dr Parameshwara during Assembly polls in 2013. Mr Ravi also charged that Mr Siddaramaiah ensured that veteran leader Mr Mallikarjun Khage did not get the CM's post.
