After a resounding victory in four states including Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party has embarked on the next mission. Now since the Karnataka assembly elections are just a year away. In such a situation, in the first week of April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are going to visit Karnataka. His visit has created a stir in the political circles. Many are seeing this as the beginning of BJP’s election preparations.
According to the information, Amit Shah will participate in the 116th birth anniversary celebrations of the late Shivakumara Swami of Siddaganga Mutt in Tumukuru on April 1. The party plans to make it a big event with around two lakh people. Since the main vote bank of the BJP has huge followers of the Math among Lingayats, the ruling party wants to capitalize on it with a grand program.
The importance of Siddaganga Mutt to the BJP shows that whenever there was a political crisis on former Chief Minister Yediyurappa, the Math removed it by becoming a troubleshooter. The mutt’s decision is also significant in making Yeddyurappa’s son and state BJP vice-president BY Vijayendra in charge of the programme.
Apart from relaunching Yashaswini, a health insurance scheme for members of cooperative societies, Amit Shah will also launch the government’s ‘Ksheer Abhivridhi Bank’ scheme at an event at the Palace Ground. The home minister is also expected to chair a meeting of the state BJP core committee to discuss the preparations for the election. “As of now, there is no confirmation of his meeting with the party leaders,” an office-bearer said. Modi will visit Bengaluru on April 5 and launch several development programmes.
According to insiders, the party, which is confident after winning four states, wants to maintain its grip in Karnataka and other poll-bound states. Therefore, in the coming days, the Union Minister can also visit the state. However, BJP general secretary and MLC N Ravikumar said Shah’s visit had nothing to do with the election. “Elections are still a year away and the party has enough time to prepare. Shah’s visit is completely official,” he said.