The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Amar Singh hopes to shatter BJP’s hopes

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Wednesday, May 14, 2008
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Karnataka

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Amar Singh hopes to shatter BJP’s hopes

Special Correspondent

— Photo Bhagya Prakash K.

Campaign: Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh and Jayaprada, MP, at a press conference in Bangalore on Tuesday.

BANGALORE: Samajwadi Party (SP) general secretary Amar Singh on Tuesday said Bharatiya Janata party leader B.S. Yeddyurappa was a “Narendra Modi in the making in south India” and it would be a milestone in Indian politics if he met his waterloo in Shikaripur.

Mr. Singh told presspersons that the SP had taken the lead to defeat Mr. Yeddyurappa in Shikaripur constituency and shatter the BJP’s dream of coming to power. He said it was certain that the SP candidate and former Chief Minister, S. Bangarappa, would win in Shikaripur. “The BJP’s Chief Minister probable is going to bite the dust.”

Mr. Singh said that more than the SP workers it was the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) workers who were working overtime to defeat Mr. Yeddyurappa, and he congratulated the two parties for supporting the SP.

He said national leaders of the SP were not involved at any level in discussing seat adjustments with the Congress or the JD(S) in Karnataka. “We blindly gave Mr. Bangarappa the authority to do what he deemed fit as he is a senior leader.” Mr. Singh said that as the SP was not in power in Uttar Pradesh, the party was not able to provide any resources to Mr. Bangarappa. “We do not have Bellary mines in Uttar Pradesh. The people who are pumping funds to the BJP have close connections with the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister. I cannot understand this inter-party cord,” he said.

The SP leader said his party had no effective presence in the State and was contesting the elections only to expand its base.

“SP President Mulayam Singh and I would be of little use to Mr. Bangarappa’s campaign here as we do not know Kannada. But we decided to stand by him as he our State president,” he said. Actor and MP Jayaprada and SP State general secretary P. Govindaraj were present.

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