BJP ready to face early Assembly polls in Karnataka: Eshwarappa

Bangalore: In the midst of escalating factional feud in BJP in Karnataka between BS Yeddyurappa and DV Sadananda Gowda camps over the Chief Minister issue, party state President KS Eshwarappa yesterday said he would be “happy if the Assembly elections are held as early as December.”

“As per schedule, Assembly elections in Karnataka should be held in May next year … If the elections are held as early as December this year, I will be very happy,” he said while addressing party workers at Chikballapur, 33 kms from here.

Eshwarappa said the BJP workers were ready to face early Assembly polls and the party would “continue ruling the state for the next five years. We will win 150 seats in the next elections,” he said.

The BJP leader said that tickets would not be given to “unwanted” aspirants in the next election.

To a query, Eshwarappa said he had no information on the fresh 5 July deadline set by Yeddyurappa loyalists to resolve the leadership issue.

He hoped that the party central leadership would be able to resolve the leadership issue in the next 15 days. “I am hopeful of the central leadership solving the problem, especially after the assurance given by party in-charge of Karnataka affairs Dharmendra Pradhan,” he said.

Reacting to Eshwarappa’s remark on not giving party tickets to “unwanted” aspirants in the next Assembly polls, Excise Minister MP Renukacharya said here the party state president should specify the names of the aspirants.

PTI