‘Give me 50 seats from South Karnataka: Shah to state BJP

The BJP knows well that they cannot take Shah lightly as he does not talk without having all the information

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: Talking tough, Union Minister for Home and Cooperation Amit Shah set a target of 30-plus seats in the southern Karnataka region and 20 seats in Bengaluru Rural and Urban constituencies in the 2023 Assembly polls.

During an in-camera meeting with senior leaders of the party last week, the “Chanakya” is learned to have found a big difference between a survey finding sent regularly by the state unit and the ground report procured by Shah from his trusted foot soldiers. The claim of the state leaders of being in a comfortable position in South Karnataka in all 28 Assembly constituencies has been rejected by Shah saying it was a bundle of lies.

The ground report prepared by Shah’s men has mentioned a sulking image of the BJP in most of the Assembly constituencies due to the inept handling of the floods last year and the sudden stoppage of the encroachment of Rajakaluves across the capital city.

Bengalureans are unhappy with the government’s response to the recent flood havoc in the Silicon Valley of India. Residents of the state capital have not forgotten their travel on tractors, bullock carts and plastic boats to come out of their submerged houses, especially in the Mahadevapura constituency, to reach the main road.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s promise to clear all encroachments fell flat, and was taken with a pinch of salt by the BBMP authorities. Before chairing the meeting, Shah had collected all information from his sources and reportedly kept all facts before the state leaders.

The “master strategist” is learned to have told that the survey that he got done by his men revealed difficulties for the ruling BJP to come back to power, so “not to bluff”. The BJP knows too well that they cannot take Shah lightly as he does not talk without having all the information. According to him, the BJP may win only three four seats of the total 28 due to a “series of mistakes committed by the government in the last four years”.

Saying enough is enough, he has given a target of 20 seats for the state BJP leaders from Bengaluru Urban and Rural constituencies. South Karnataka As far as South Karnataka is concerned, Shah wants state leaders to work hard to make inroads in Vokkaliga dominant districts of Mandya, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Ramanagara, Hassan, Tumakuru, and in and around Bengaluru.