Amit Shah likely to pull up Karnataka BJP leaders over Mahadayi bungle

Bengaluru: With BJP president Amit Shah scheduled to arrive in the state on Sunday, BJP leaders here are anxious about receiving a tongue lashing for their bungling on the Mahadayi river dispute, which has seen them at the receiving end of farmers’ anger of late.

Speaking to DC, a senior leader in the BJP said Mr Shah could pull up state leaders for mishandling the sensitive issue in the run-up to the assembly poll.

While the party had expected to receive bouquets for getting Goa CM Manohar Parrikar to agree to release drinking water to Karnataka from the Mahadayi, the move has backfired on it with farmers far from satisfied with its initiatives on their behalf and demanding early resolution of the decades old dispute.

But with Mr Shah also scheduled to hold region-wise meetings with MLAs and MLCs on the work they have been doing at the booth level to keep the party machinery well oiled for elections, he has set off a flurry of activity among them. “Mr Shah had visited the state in August and given various leaders tasks to do .

He will now want to review the work they have done. He is mainly interested in the progress achieved at the booth level. He believes a well-oiled poll machinery can win elections and not mere issues, which can be tackled individually," the party insider explained. Several MLAs and MLCs have therefore rushed to their constituencies to prepare a report on their poll preparations. "MLAs and MLCs were given additional responsibility of ensuring the victory of party candidates in other constituencies besides retaining their own seats. They were supposed to form booth-level committees and hold meetings with booth workers to chalk out plans for the elections.