Mysore/Mysuru: Maintaining that the BJP’s Vijaya Sankalpa Yatra has been getting a tremendous response in the State, senior BJP leader and former Minister K. S. Eshwarappa asserted that the party will retain power in the State by winning 150 seats in the forthcoming Assembly polls.

Addressing a press meet at the BJP city office in Chamarajapuram here this morning, Eshwarappa said that “the party has launched several unique welfare and empowerment programmes for SC/ST/OBC communities and all other sections of the society.”

Pointing out that the support of these communities was largely seen in the last Lok Sabha polls in which the BJP won 25 out of the 28 seats in the State, Eshwarappa said that the party’s programmes, plans, projects and schemes will help the party retain power with an absolute majority this time.

Replying to a question on former CM and JD(S) leader H.D.Kumaraswamy’s remarks that a complete investigation into corrupt practices of BJP leaders will lead to opening of more Jails, Eshwarappa lashed out at the former CM and said ‘it is not the BJP leaders, but the family members of HDK who have to go to jail for their wrongdoings.’

Referring to KPCC Chief D.K. Shivakumar’s allegations that BJP Government was a 40 percent Commission Government, he said that ‘DKS has no moral right to speak about BJP as he himself had gone to Tihar Jail.’

Reminding DKS that he is only out on bail and not out of the corruption case registered against him, Eshwarappa said  ‘no one knows when DKS has to walk to jail again once the charges against him are proved.’

Underlining the BJP’s campaign strategy for elections, Eshwarappa said that the party is going to fight the polls on four planks — Strong leadership, Organisation, Development and Safeguarding of Culture.

MP and former Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda said that ‘Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the local leaders to present the BJP Government’s report card on Governance and performance before the public during the Yatra.’

“We are seeking votes mainly on development and leadership issues. We are reaching out the programmes and policies of PM Modi, the Union Government and the State Government to every household, which largely helps in sensitizing electorate on the Government’s achievements. This apart, the party is taking up door-to-door campaign in order to educate the voters on all the Government programmes”, Sadananda Gowda said adding that the Opposition parties are making baseless allegations against the BJP out of frustration.

BJP State Vice-President M. Rajendra, City BJP President T.S. Srivatsa, BJP Rural President Mangala Somashekar, Chairman of Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation Ka.Pu.Siddalingaswamy, former Chairman of Mysore Paints and Varnish Ltd., M.V. Ravishankar, leaders Dattatreya, Vasanth Kumar, Jogi Manju and others were present at the press meet.