Bengaluru: Making it clear to the state BJP leadership that they should not exploit the differences in the JD(S)-Congress coalition government to bring it down, BJP president Amit Shah has advised party leaders to gear up for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Mr Shah reportedly instructed BJP state president and former CM B.S. Yeddyurappa to prepare for the Lok Sabha polls instead of making efforts to form a new government in the state after dislodging the coalition government.
The sudden visit of Mr Yeddyurappa to Ahmedabad to meet Mr Shah had sparked speculation that the party might try to dislodge the coalition government following a rift between the partners.
However, sources close to Yeddyurappa told this newspaper that the former chief minister had gone to invite the BJP chief to inaugurate the state executive meeting to be held on June 29 at Palace Grounds.
It will be the first state executive after the assembly elections and is intended to gear up the cadre for the Lok Sabha elections.
The BJP is keen on winning all 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state and will also fix responsibility on each leader to win the parliamentary elections. The party will also select an Opposition leader for the Legislative Council with the budget session set to commence from July 2, said sources.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Mr Yeddyurappa said, “the BJP will discharge its role as opposition, we will silently watch the developments in the ruling Congress and JD(S). I have even told my party leaders not to react to the ongoing tussle in the ruling parties over the budget.”
“I met Amit Shahji to invite him to the state executive meeting to be held on June 29. Our focus is on winning more Lok Sabha seats in 2019”, the veteran BJP leader said.
“There is confusion between the coalition partners. Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah makes some statement and Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy makes a different one,” he said.
He was, however, quick to add that his party did not have anything to do with the political uncertainty adding that the Bharatiya Janata Party will not interfere in the matter.
