Mysuru: Asserting that the BJP was committed for building Ram Temple, new State BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel on Wednesday called upon the party workers to gear up for winning 150 Assembly seats in Karnataka in the next Assembly polls.

He was addressing party workers at the party office in Chamarajapuram here yesterday.

Kateel, who arrived in the city yesterday, just a day after he took charge as the new State BJP Chief, said that he grew up in the party as an ordinary member to become the State BJP Chief.

Maintaining that the BJP would focus on Ram Temple construction, he said that the BJP is a party of workers and the party workers from Mysuru should strive to build the party from the base in Mysuru region.

Stressing on the need for the party workers to reach out Central and State Government schemes to the beneficiaries, he said that the country was progressing fast in all sectors under the leadership of Prime  Minister Narendra Modi.

Stating that the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir was one of the election promises met by the NDA Government, he reiterated that the promise on Ram Temple too would be fulfilled.

Pointing out that the next Assembly election should belong to the party workers, he said that it was perhaps the first time in recent years that the Governments at the Centre and the State are the same. Observing that the party workers have the challenge of taking both the Central and State Government schemes to the doorsteps of the people, especially at a time when the same party is in power at the State and Centre, Kateel said that he performed puja at Chamundeshwari Temple atop the Hill seeking strength from the deity.

He further said that the blessings of Suttur Mutt Seer Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji and Udupi Pejawar Mutt Seer Sri Vishwesha Teertha Swamiji had given him more strength to strengthen the BJP further  in the State.

Pratap Simha is a favourite MP of PM

Heaping praises on Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha, Kateel said that Simha will interact directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he, himself being the Mangaluru MP, falls behind Simha in this regard.

Noting that Pratap Simha gets work done by exerting pressure on the Centre, Kateel appealed the party workers to extend full support to strengthen the party on a very solid foundation.

Kateel was given a rousing reception upon his arrival at the party office, with workers beating the drum and bursting crackers.

Earlier, BJP leaders, led by MP Pratap Simha, gave a warm welcome to Kateel at the Ring Road junction on Mysuru-Bengaluru Road. Later Kateel went to Chamundi Hill where he offered prayers at Chamundeshwari Temple. Thereafter he visited Krishnadhama at Saraswathipuram and sought the blessings of Pejawar Mutt Seer and went to Suttur Mutt and sought the blessings of Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji.

District Minister V. Somanna, MP Pratap Simha, MLAs L. Nagendra and C.S. Niranjan Kumar, City BJP President Dr. B.H. Manjunath, District President Kote M. Shivanna, leaders Kautilya Raghu, H.V. Rajeev, G. Madhusudan, Sandesh Swamy and M. Rajendera were present.