Bengaluru: In an apparent reference to the recent statement of Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa in support of senior Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar arrested by the Enforcement Directorate for alleged money laundering, state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel on Friday ordered party leaders not to make any comment on him and stay clear of the issue.
Addressing the party’s co-ordination committee meeting, the first since it came to power in the state, here, Mr Kateel warned that the Congress party was trying to cash in on the statements made by some Bharatiya Janata Party leaders on Mr Shivakumar and use them to its advantage.
He therefore advised his partymen not to get involved in the issue.
The Chief Minister had recently denied any political vendetta against Mr Shivakumar, and said he hoped he would be cleared of the charges against him. The comment expectedly raised eyebrows and led to much speculation on what could have prompted it.
Meanwhile, the core committee decided to prepare for the assembly bypolls in constituencies where the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) MLAs resigned from to topple the last Kumaraswamy government. It was also decided to intensify the party’s membership drive from September 8 and both leaders and workers were told to work hard to enroll new members.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Aravind Limbavali said in a statement that they were expected to enrol not less than two active members in every booth.
He added that the state party leaders would visit the districts and review the enrolment programme on September 9 and 10. In other matters, the core committee discussed the party's strength in the state Legislative Council and decided to gear up for the council polls due in 2020 from the teachers’ and graduates’ constituencies.
