Mysuru: BJP National President Amit Shah will visit the State on Jan.9 to kick start the saffron party’s preparation for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Shah will visit Tumakuru where he will take stock of Tumakuru, Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru rural and Chitradurga Lok Sabha seats by meeting the party leaders in these constituencies.

Shah is slated to address a massive rally at Tumakuru on Jan.9 and will also visit Siddaganga mutt Seer Shivakumara Swamiji.

BJP leaders asked to concentrate on LS polls

Even as Shah is scheduled to visit the State on Jan.9, the BJP top brass is said to have directed State BJP Chief B.S. Yeddyurappa and other leaders to gear up for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Referring to reports that some dissident Congress legislators were willing to quit party, the BJP leadership is said to have advised the State leaders not to take such reports seriously as it is a Congress drama to fool the BJP. Shah is also said to have warned the Karnataka party Leadership to be wary of Congress legislators who are ready to quit the party.

Asking the State leaders not to show interest in carrying out ‘Operation Lotus’, as it would be a futile exercise, unless a significant number of Congress legislators are ready to jump ship, the BJP top brass has to reportedly told the State Leadership that it would totally stay away from any such moves, which may bring a bad name to the BJP in the run up to the LS polls.