Jagadish Shettar will be the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate in the Karnataka Assembly poll, the party’s national president Rajnath Singh said today.
Singh, who was addressing a Bangalore rally through video conferencing after his aircraft developed some snag and he had to return midway, also announced that BJP leaders L.K. Advani and Narendra Modi will be the party’s star campaigners in Karnataka.
The BJP president, along with senior leaders Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, was to visit Bangalore to kickstart the party’s election campaign today.
Addressing the rally, Singh admitted that his party faced an “adverse” situation after removing B S Yeddyurappa as Chief Minister over allegations of corruption, but said his party would not spare anyone indulging in corruption.
“I want to assure the people of Karnataka that anyone indulging in corruption will not remain in his chair in the BJP,” he said.
Singh listed interest-free loans to farmers, devolution of power by empowering panchayats, rural drinking water schemes, infrastructure development and introduction of bus service in Bangalore that won several awards, besides laying the foundation of Metro rail in Bangalore as achievements of the BJP Government in Karnataka.
“In five years, the government’s performance was satisfactory. I am confident that the BJP will get a clear majority in Karnataka,” Singh said.
To a question on possible tie-up with Yeddyurappa’s party, Singh said, “There is no question of it.”