Kalaburagi, March 20 (IANS) Responding to a question on “dinner politics” in the ruling Congress party, State BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra said that the party’s MLAs had told him that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would certainly resign. However, who becomes the next Chief Minister remains a million-dollar question, he added.

Speaking to media persons on Friday, he said, “When we recently spoke to ruling party MLAs at Vidhana Soudha, they expressed confidence that a definite outcome will emerge and that the Chief Minister will certainly resign. However, who will become the next Chief Minister remains a million-dollar question. That answer must come from them.”

Vijayendra expressed confidence that the party will win both Assembly constituencies going to bye-elections in the state with a huge margin.

He responded to a query and said that the BJP high command has already announced candidates for the Bagalkote and Davanagere South Assembly constituencies. Former MLA Veeranna Charantimath has been fielded from Bagalkote, while Srinivas Das Kariyappa has been named as the candidate for Davanagere South, he said.

“Our party workers are highly enthusiastic. We are also seeing that voters are eager to teach a lesson to this anti-poor, anti-people Congress government, and are keen to ensure BJP’s victory,” he stated.

He further said that the BJP had also raised the issue of conducting Zilla Panchayat and Taluk Panchayat elections in the Assembly recently.

“You are aware who holds control from the panchayat level to Parliament in Kalyana Karnataka. Despite that, development work has not taken place. On the other hand, the Congress has dealt a blow to the Panchayat Raj system,” he alleged targeting AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge and his son Minister for IT, BT and RDPR Priyank Kharge, who hail from Kalaburagi.

He further stated that due to the failure to conduct elections to local bodies, the state has not received at least Rs 14,000–15,000 crore in funds that were to come from the Centre. “This clearly shows that the state government’s approach has led to setbacks for the state,” he said.

He added that the issue of annual losses of Rs 14,000–15,000 crore due to not holding local body elections had been raised in the Assembly. “Even now, we hope that good sense prevails and the state government proceeds with conducting the elections,” he said.

–IANS

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