The Hindu : Front Page : “Development and more development”

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Tuesday, Mar 31, 2009
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“Development and more development”

The Third Front will become irrelevant after the elections. In Karnataka, there is no Third Front at all except Deve Gowdaji

B.S. Yeddyurappa, Karnataka Chief Minister and team leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s election campaign in the State exudes the quiet confidence of a strategist who knows that victory is his. His party is the first off the block in the campaign race, and Mr. Yeddyurappa seems already sure that his party will notch up 20 seats. He spoke to PARVATHI MENON

You have finalised your list of candidates for all except four of the 28 seats and the party is in campaign mode. How do your assess your party’s chances?

The announcement of the 2009 Lok Sabha elections came as no surprise to us. We had instructed all sitting MPs to go ahead with preparations for elections, so when the dates were announced the campaign began. We expect to win between 20 and 22 seats.

The Election Commission has said that you violated the model code of conduct by campaigning after 10 p.m. in Dharwad. There is also a complaint against Ananth Kumar Hegde, the BJP’s candidate in Uttara Kannada f

or hate speeches against Muslims. Our newspaper carried an expose of the free distribution of SIM cards by a BJP party supporter at a function attended by Ananthkumar, your candidate from Bangalore South. Your party is in trouble with the EC.

I have not read about the SIM card distribution, but in my case it is a fact that there was a private indoor programme I attended in Dharwad. I am normally very careful about timings, but on that day I did not notice it was 10.15. It was my mistake. In future I will see that such things do not happen.

Ananth Kumar Hegde, with whom I discussed the matter, said what was reported was not correct. But it is a fact that he openly said, “I don’t want Muslim votes.” I told him that in the entire country, especially in Karnataka, almost all important Muslim leaders are joining our party.

Just the other day, 500 Muslims attended our minority morcha. I told him not to repeat such things in future. From the beginning, he has this nature of fighting for the Hindu cause.

You suggested at a legislature party meeting that the Election Commission is overreaching itself?

Yes, everybody feels that way (laughs). According to my knowledge, after 30-35 years in politics, the code of conduct will be strictly in force only after the filing of nominations. But I have given instructions to all our candidates and MLAs that they must cooperate with the Election Commission. We should not cross the boundaries.

What impact do you think the Third Front will have on your party’s prospects, especially in Karnataka?

I think all parties will either join the Congress or the BJP after the elections. If the BJP emerges as the single largest party, those who don’t want a Congress government will support the BJP and Lal Krishna Advaniji. The Third Front will become irrelevant after the elections. In Karnataka there is no Third Front at all except Deve Gowdaji. Out of 28 seats, we will win 22, and the remaining will be shared by the JD(S) and Congress.

The ethics of “Operation Kamala,” of engineering defections from other parties to the BJP in return for promises of office, has been questioned by many, especially as you claim to be a party with a difference. How do you defend this?

You may call it what you want, but I have never considered it an “operation.” This is a political polarisation that is a common phenomenon in Indian politics.

What are the likely issues that the BJP will contest on? In the coastal areas, Hindutva appears to have become your plank.

Irrespective of geographical diversity, my agenda is development, development and more development. We will focus on our achievements in the State and bring out the failures of the UPA Government at the Centre.

There has been much writing on the groupism in your party, especially between yourself and Mr. Ananthkumar. There are charges that you run the party as a one-man show. How do you respond to this?

I don’t agree with it at all. Both Ananthkumar and I are working for the growth of the party and want to realise our dream of making Lal Krishna Advaniji the next prime minister of the country.

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