04-06-2008, 06:47 PM
<b>BJP will come to power with majority: Jaitley</b>
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Apr620...08040661291.asp
April 6, 2008
Bangalore : The Congress party has lost the elections in states that AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi visited before the polls, BJP leader Arun Jaitley said.
Speaking to reporters in Bangalore on Saturday, Mr Jaitley said that the Congress party disappeared from the places Rahul had toured earlier. âFirst he went to Uttar Pradesh and the Congress disappeared from the state. He moved to Gujarat, there too his party suffered defeat. In Karnataka also, the Congress will disappear after the elections,â he said, after inaugurating the poll-preparation workshop organised for party workers in the City.
He said the BJP will come to power in Karnataka with an overwhelming majority.
â The Congress-led UPA government has failed to take steps to tackle increasing inflation. The country is facing severe shortage of food grains for the first time after the Green Revolution. Every corner of the country is becoming a hub of terrorist activities. The Sachar Committee has recommended religion-based reservation and communal budgeting, which irk the majority community of the country. The infighting among Congress leaders will not allow the party to give a strong fight to the BJP,â said Mr Jaitley.
He appealed to the party workers not to give room for any controversy in the State during the elections.
Lok Sabha member Ananth Kumar, in reaction to former chief minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamyâs comment alleging that MPs from the State are inactive, said that when Kumaraswamy was member of Parliament between 1996 and 1998, he never raised his voice for Karnataka. âI want to know from him (Kumaraswamy) for how many âsecondsâ he has debated in the Parliament in favour of Karnatakaâ, he said.
Former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa said the party senior leaders have prepared the list of party candidates for almost 140 constituencies. The list will be made public after the partyâs central committee of elections approves it, he added.
<b>MAHADEV JOINS BJP
Former minister and Congress leader M Mahadev, popularly known as Benki Mahadev, officially joined the BJP on Saturday.</b>
Arun Jaitley, BJP leader in-charge of elections in Karnataka, welcomed him into the party. Speaking to presspersons, Mahadev said that he decided to quit the Congress as he was upset with the recent turn of events.
<b>âI was working for the Congress for the last 40 years. I stood by the party even at its most difficult times. But now I see that only those who have recently joined the party are given importance,â he said.</b>
Mahadev said the JD(S), Samajwadi Party, BSP and BJP approached him with invitations to join their party, but he decided to join the BJP as it was a party with national status. <b>Replying to a question, he said former JD(S) leader Siddaramaiahâs entry into the Congress is also one of the reasons for his decision to quit the party.</b> See Siddaramaiah's entry is creating serious problems for senior congress leaders. They have no option but to quit.
BJP state president Sadananda Gowda said the partyâs hold in the Mysore region has gone up with Mahadevâs entry. Former JD(S) leader Muniyappa Muddappa, former union minister Ratnamala Savanur, ex-MLC C Ramesh and others joined the party.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b>BJP workshop to equip workers for Assembly polls</b>
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Apr62008/state2008040661292.asp
April 6, 2008
Bangalore : The BJP on Saturday, conducted a day-long workshop on poll-preparations for its party workers.
Party workers from different assembly segments were divided into groups with specific responsibilities. The groups included a media cell, advocatesâ wing, campaign committee, resource mobilising team, tour committee, office management committee, accounts committee and many more.
The party held workshops for members of each committee at different places. BJP national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Prakash Javedkar addressed the party workers of media committee.
Members of the media cell prepared a press note on BJP leader Arun Jaitleyâs address at the inauguration of the workshop. Party spokesperson S Suresh Kumar had already briefed them to take down points to prepare a note on his speech.
Later, workshop, members were taught about preparing press notes, organising press conferences and other related functions.
Party workers were provided with a booklet containing detailed information on the poll preparation.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b>BJP-JD(U) likely to tie up for elections</b>
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Apr620...08040661290.asp
April 6, 2008
New Delhi : The Bharatiya Janata Party is likely to forge an electoral tie-up with the Janata Dal (United) for the forthcoming Assembly elections in Karnataka, notwithstanding the state units desire to go it alone for the polls.
With the JD(U) leadership pushing the BJP national leadership for an alliance in the State, the party has been left without much choice but to agree for an understanding.
The number of seats which the BJP will offer the ally has not been worked but would be known shortly, BJP sources said.
However, speaking to Deccan Herald, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav said nothing has been worked out yet. âTalks are continuing,â he added.
The JD(U) has been demanding the tie-up citing the recent Rajya Sabha elections in Bihar, where it supported the BJP and helped the latterâs candidate win in a close finish. The party leadership says there was an understanding at that time, that BJP will support the JD(U) in Karnataka.
However, with the State unit strongly opposed to tie-ups with any party, let alone the JD(U), the central leadership of the BJP was in a tricky position over the issue.
However, the leadership was this evening said to have convinced the State unit into having an understanding.
The two parties had an alliance in the 2004 Assembly polls â JD(U) contested 25 seats, winning five of them. The other partner AIADMK, had bagged two.
JD(U) weakened
The contention of the state leadership is that JD(U) has been considerably weakened after the last polls. Most of its leaders, barring president B Somashekar, have left the party, the last being Basavaraj Bommai, son of former chief minister S R Bommai. Also, the State party wants to contest as many seats as possible to increase its tally.
As for the AIADMK, it is unlikely that there will be a tie-up given the repeated inter-state tension between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b>JD(S) men assault media men for exposing largesse</b>
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Apr620...08040661283.asp
April 6, 2008
Mysore : JD(S) members and supporters of K R Nagar constituency aspirant Sa Ra Mahesh launched an attack on media persons in the city on Saturday for having caught them distributing sarees on camera.
Despite the election code of conduct being in force, beneficiaries of saree distribution had lined up in huge numbers at the residence of Sa Ra Mahesh, former Mysore Urban Development Authority Chairman, since Saturday morning on Sita Vilas road.
Part of the house where the distribution was held, was covered with Zinc sheets. Reporters who went in to catch a glimpse, including Ravikumar of Prajavani, Harsha and Raveesh of a private channel, Nesara Kadanakuppe of Kannada Prabha, Kiran Kumar of Mysore Mitra and Jayanth of Doordarshan were attacked after being locked inside. Men rained blows and instigated women as well to manhandle the reporters. A camera belonging to private channel has been reduced to rubble in the melee.
Members of District Journalists Association sat on a dharna in front of Sa Ra Maheshâs house and condemned the âgoondaâ behaviour of JD(S), who had attacked one section of the media even during âJaitra Yatreâ.
President Shivakumar and Chief Secretary Prabhurajan and others submitted a plea to Deputy Commissioner regarding the incident. They sought his intervention in the matter, to make election reportage safe and impartial. Manivannan, who gave patient hearing to the matter, said he would conduct an enquiry into the matter and encouraged media to continue with impartial reporting. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Apr620...08040661291.asp
April 6, 2008
Bangalore : The Congress party has lost the elections in states that AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi visited before the polls, BJP leader Arun Jaitley said.
Speaking to reporters in Bangalore on Saturday, Mr Jaitley said that the Congress party disappeared from the places Rahul had toured earlier. âFirst he went to Uttar Pradesh and the Congress disappeared from the state. He moved to Gujarat, there too his party suffered defeat. In Karnataka also, the Congress will disappear after the elections,â he said, after inaugurating the poll-preparation workshop organised for party workers in the City.
He said the BJP will come to power in Karnataka with an overwhelming majority.
â The Congress-led UPA government has failed to take steps to tackle increasing inflation. The country is facing severe shortage of food grains for the first time after the Green Revolution. Every corner of the country is becoming a hub of terrorist activities. The Sachar Committee has recommended religion-based reservation and communal budgeting, which irk the majority community of the country. The infighting among Congress leaders will not allow the party to give a strong fight to the BJP,â said Mr Jaitley.
He appealed to the party workers not to give room for any controversy in the State during the elections.
Lok Sabha member Ananth Kumar, in reaction to former chief minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamyâs comment alleging that MPs from the State are inactive, said that when Kumaraswamy was member of Parliament between 1996 and 1998, he never raised his voice for Karnataka. âI want to know from him (Kumaraswamy) for how many âsecondsâ he has debated in the Parliament in favour of Karnatakaâ, he said.
Former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa said the party senior leaders have prepared the list of party candidates for almost 140 constituencies. The list will be made public after the partyâs central committee of elections approves it, he added.
<b>MAHADEV JOINS BJP
Former minister and Congress leader M Mahadev, popularly known as Benki Mahadev, officially joined the BJP on Saturday.</b>
Arun Jaitley, BJP leader in-charge of elections in Karnataka, welcomed him into the party. Speaking to presspersons, Mahadev said that he decided to quit the Congress as he was upset with the recent turn of events.
<b>âI was working for the Congress for the last 40 years. I stood by the party even at its most difficult times. But now I see that only those who have recently joined the party are given importance,â he said.</b>
Mahadev said the JD(S), Samajwadi Party, BSP and BJP approached him with invitations to join their party, but he decided to join the BJP as it was a party with national status. <b>Replying to a question, he said former JD(S) leader Siddaramaiahâs entry into the Congress is also one of the reasons for his decision to quit the party.</b> See Siddaramaiah's entry is creating serious problems for senior congress leaders. They have no option but to quit.
BJP state president Sadananda Gowda said the partyâs hold in the Mysore region has gone up with Mahadevâs entry. Former JD(S) leader Muniyappa Muddappa, former union minister Ratnamala Savanur, ex-MLC C Ramesh and others joined the party.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b>BJP workshop to equip workers for Assembly polls</b>
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Apr62008/state2008040661292.asp
April 6, 2008
Bangalore : The BJP on Saturday, conducted a day-long workshop on poll-preparations for its party workers.
Party workers from different assembly segments were divided into groups with specific responsibilities. The groups included a media cell, advocatesâ wing, campaign committee, resource mobilising team, tour committee, office management committee, accounts committee and many more.
The party held workshops for members of each committee at different places. BJP national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Prakash Javedkar addressed the party workers of media committee.
Members of the media cell prepared a press note on BJP leader Arun Jaitleyâs address at the inauguration of the workshop. Party spokesperson S Suresh Kumar had already briefed them to take down points to prepare a note on his speech.
Later, workshop, members were taught about preparing press notes, organising press conferences and other related functions.
Party workers were provided with a booklet containing detailed information on the poll preparation.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b>BJP-JD(U) likely to tie up for elections</b>
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Apr620...08040661290.asp
April 6, 2008
New Delhi : The Bharatiya Janata Party is likely to forge an electoral tie-up with the Janata Dal (United) for the forthcoming Assembly elections in Karnataka, notwithstanding the state units desire to go it alone for the polls.
With the JD(U) leadership pushing the BJP national leadership for an alliance in the State, the party has been left without much choice but to agree for an understanding.
The number of seats which the BJP will offer the ally has not been worked but would be known shortly, BJP sources said.
However, speaking to Deccan Herald, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav said nothing has been worked out yet. âTalks are continuing,â he added.
The JD(U) has been demanding the tie-up citing the recent Rajya Sabha elections in Bihar, where it supported the BJP and helped the latterâs candidate win in a close finish. The party leadership says there was an understanding at that time, that BJP will support the JD(U) in Karnataka.
However, with the State unit strongly opposed to tie-ups with any party, let alone the JD(U), the central leadership of the BJP was in a tricky position over the issue.
However, the leadership was this evening said to have convinced the State unit into having an understanding.
The two parties had an alliance in the 2004 Assembly polls â JD(U) contested 25 seats, winning five of them. The other partner AIADMK, had bagged two.
JD(U) weakened
The contention of the state leadership is that JD(U) has been considerably weakened after the last polls. Most of its leaders, barring president B Somashekar, have left the party, the last being Basavaraj Bommai, son of former chief minister S R Bommai. Also, the State party wants to contest as many seats as possible to increase its tally.
As for the AIADMK, it is unlikely that there will be a tie-up given the repeated inter-state tension between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b>JD(S) men assault media men for exposing largesse</b>
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Apr620...08040661283.asp
April 6, 2008
Mysore : JD(S) members and supporters of K R Nagar constituency aspirant Sa Ra Mahesh launched an attack on media persons in the city on Saturday for having caught them distributing sarees on camera.
Despite the election code of conduct being in force, beneficiaries of saree distribution had lined up in huge numbers at the residence of Sa Ra Mahesh, former Mysore Urban Development Authority Chairman, since Saturday morning on Sita Vilas road.
Part of the house where the distribution was held, was covered with Zinc sheets. Reporters who went in to catch a glimpse, including Ravikumar of Prajavani, Harsha and Raveesh of a private channel, Nesara Kadanakuppe of Kannada Prabha, Kiran Kumar of Mysore Mitra and Jayanth of Doordarshan were attacked after being locked inside. Men rained blows and instigated women as well to manhandle the reporters. A camera belonging to private channel has been reduced to rubble in the melee.
Members of District Journalists Association sat on a dharna in front of Sa Ra Maheshâs house and condemned the âgoondaâ behaviour of JD(S), who had attacked one section of the media even during âJaitra Yatreâ.
President Shivakumar and Chief Secretary Prabhurajan and others submitted a plea to Deputy Commissioner regarding the incident. They sought his intervention in the matter, to make election reportage safe and impartial. Manivannan, who gave patient hearing to the matter, said he would conduct an enquiry into the matter and encouraged media to continue with impartial reporting. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->