Karnataka   

‘Other parties should emulate the BJP’

Bangalore: “I am an ordinary worker coming from rural and humble background. But, the Bharatiya Janata Party has recognised me by appointing me general secretary and nominating to the Karnataka Legislative Council, and now, given ticket to contest in the Legislative Assembly elections. And, now I am also a Cabinet Minister.”

She was all smiles when she spoke to The Hindu after she was sworn-in as the Minister in the first-ever BJP government in south India. Shobha Karandlaje, coming from Charvaka, a remote village in Sullia taluk of Dakshina Kannada district, said that she was grateful to the party for showering blessings and reposing confidence in her.

Ms. Karandlaje, elected from the Yeshawantpur constituency, said that this showed how the BJP, unlike other parties empowered women to come to the forefront in public life. This should be a model to other parties, she added.

Another first-time minister, S. Suresh Kumar, who won from Rajajinagar Assembly constituency, said that the Karnataka experiment of bringing BJP to power should influence its units in the neighbouring States as well as people there to emulate it.

Mr. Kumar said that he was overwhelmed by the gesture shown to him by the party in inducting him into the Cabinet, which he had not even dreamt of, though he was sure that the BJP would one day come to power on its own. Now, that the party had come to power, it was the duty of every leader and worker to see that the aspirations of the people were fulfilled, he added.

Among the short-term programmes of the new government, he said that the regularisation of the unauthorised constructions in the jurisdiction of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike would be taken up, on priority. The BJP should win all the 28 Lok Sabha constituencies and anoint L.K. Advani as the Prime Minister, he added.

K.S. Eshwarappa expressed his happiness over the victory of 110 candidates leading to the formation of the BJP government, the first in south India. He said that the Yeddyurappa Government would work to the satisfaction of the people. Sharing his views, B.N. Bachche Gowda said that the government should implement all the programmes and policies laid down by Mr. Yeddyurappa in his two budgets.

For Ramachandra Gowda, it was a new beginning as the party would be able to give stability to administration without depending on other parties, as before. The BJP’s priority, he said should be development and prosperity.

Mr. Palemar, another first-time Minister described Mr. Yeddyurappa as a visionary. Mr. Yeddyurappa had plans for the development of all segments of the society, particularly farmers and fishermen.

Mr. Palemar was sure that the State would regain its number one stature in the country in development.

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