From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Hubballi, Jan 29: The one-day visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah has electrified Karnataka, galvanised the party cadre and generated pro-BJP wave across the state, said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai here on Sunday.
Talking to reporters, he said the BJP has been quite strong in Kittur Karnataka and Shah has instilled more strength and enthusiasm among the party workers. The feelings of the people were reflected in all the meetings.
"The Congress leaders are posing as if they have already come to power. Let anybody say anything the truth is different. It is expressed during the visit of the BJP leaders. Not only the big turnout but the spirit and enthusiasm in them clearly indicate of the saffron party coming back to power as it is strong from the booth level and that is the party's base and strength,’’ Bommai said.
The chief minister said Shah did not give any specific instructions to the state leaders in the Belagavi meeting but told them to make preparations for the Assembly polls.
On the verbal attacks made on him by the Congress leaders, Bommai said he has never made allegations against anybody in the last one-and-a-half years and he has not made any harsh statements on any one and has replied politely.
He said: "The political culture of Karnataka is not individual-based or vengeance-based but only issue-based and development-oriented. We are going before the people with the achievements of the State and Union Governments and that is seen in our campaign.’’
Without commenting or criticising any one or any party, he said BJP leaders are seeking the votes only on the basis of performance.
The Congress has become desperate due to which that party leaders use such language. The state has been witnessing those kinds of languages that were never used in the past, he said.
The chief minister claimed that there was no dissidence within the BJP and party’s national organisation secretary B L Santosh had visited Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Tumakuru, Chitradurga, Mysuru, Mandya, Bagalkot and Vijayapura districts on party organisation work.
"There is no dissidence in our party and will abide by what our party leaders say. This is what has happened here and there is no dissidence in Belagavi,’’ he said.
Bommai said the list of candidates is not yet finalised as the survey work is going on. On 'Go Back Ashok' graffiti in Mandya, the chief minister termed it as an act of three or four people and the media need not sensationalise it.
Vishnuvardhan memorial unveiled
The chief minister later visited Mysuru and unveiled the Vishnuvardhan Memorial at Uddur Cross in Halalu village of H D Kote organised by the Dr Vishnuvardhan Foundation and State Information and Public Relations Department.
Kannada actor Bharathi Vishnuvardhan, actor Aniruddha, MLAs G T Deve Gowda, L Nagendra and MP Pratap Simha were present.
In Bengaluru, the chief minister later inaugurated a Kshatriya mega convention organised by the State Kshatriya Okkuta.
BJP national general secretary Arun Singh, Okkuta president Uday Singh and other leaders were present.