Karnataka Assembly polls in 2023: BJP to focus on Old Mysuru, Cabinet expansion

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is planning big. Ahead of the Karnataka Assembly polls in 2023, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday told party leaders to focus on the Old Mysuru region, which is Congress, JDS stronghold. As per reports, Shah asked party leaders from the Old Mysuru region of the state to ensure that the BJP emerges as the number one party there. 

Shah, who is currently on a three-day visit to Karnataka, ruled out the possibility of the BJP entering into an understanding with any other party, including the Janata Dal(S).

The BJP, considered to be weak in the Vokkaliga community-dominated Old Mysuru region, is focusing on this belt to gain complete majority in the 2023 Assembly polls, PTI reported.

On Friday, Shah held a meeting regarding the party organisation in the Old Mysuru region, the number of seats to win and the preparations for it. The three hours meeting was held in line with BJP's plans to end the dominance of the Janata Dal(S) and the Congress in Old Mysuru.

It should be noted that the Old Mysuru region consists of districts like Mandya, Mysuru, Hassan, Tumakuru, Chamarajanagar, Bengaluru Rural, Kolar, and Chikkaballapur among others.

The meeting was reportedly attended by Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, and the party's general secretary in-charge Arun Singh among others.

Meanwhile, Shah also gave a go-ahead to the much-anticipated Karnataka government's cabinet expansion, according to a media report. This would accommodate disgruntled leaders such as K S Eswarappa and Ramesh Karkiholi just ahead of the elections scheduled for 2023, NDTV reported.

On Friday, while addressing a public gathering in Mandya, Shah said: "This time Mandya, the Mysuru region should make BJP win with full majority. Congress and JD(S) are both parivaarvadi (dynastic politics) parties, they are corrupt parties," he added.

"In the next five years under the leadership of Modiji, we will take Karnataka much forward in the path of progress," he said, accusing both Congress and JD(S) of being "corrupt, communal and also protectors of criminals," according to the PTI report.

(With inputs from PTI)

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