Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Nov 12: It is gathered that organizational heads of BJP have listed out the mistakes which proved costly for the party in the recently held by-polls for three Lok Sabha and two assembly seats. The major mistakes the report has pointed out are lack of enthusiasm among party leaders and weaning away of Lingayat votes in Ballari and Jamakhandi constituencies.

BJP leader, K S Eshwarappa, confessed that introspection about the reverses faced in the poll has been undertaken to make corrections and this issue would be discussed in the party's core committee meeting being held on November 15. The major follies the report has pinpointed are as follows.

State BJP president Yeddyurappa

BJP leaders did not take the bypoll seriously. They were overconfident about victory being a foregone conclusion in three constituencies.

Secondly the party had an opportunity to field a stronger candidate in Mandya Lok Sabha election, which would have increased the tally of the party's votes, thereby increasing the confidence of party workers.

Because of Sriramulu's overconfidence of bagging the Lok Sabha seat for the party on his own, other leaders did not participate in campaigning there.

In Jamakhandi, the report says, several local BJP leaders turned neutral, as they felt that victory of Srikanth Kulkarni might result in them losing this constituency in future.

In Jamakhandi, KPCC working president, Ishwar Khandre, was leading a team of Veerashaiva and Lingayat leaders whereas Jagadish Shettar, who was made in-charge of the constituency, was on foreign trip. Shettar failed to prove his mettle.

The party also failed to effectively counter the apology tendered by D K Shivakumar for mooting to separate Lingayat religion by the previous government. Lingayats were also confused as a former minister had projected Sriramulu as prospective chief minister in his address.

The party leaders failed to win over the confidence of booth level workers of the party. The coalition government succeeded in making sure that Yeddyurappa was confined to Shivamogga constituency from where his son fought the election as BJP candidate.

In spite of Ballari being a BJP strong base, successive leaders have failed to improve basic infrastructure there, which would have contributed to the party's poor performance there, the report has said.