Ahead of the State Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appears to be making efforts to woo prominent personalities from OBC (Other Backward Classes) communities to join it.
The party on Wednesday brought Karnataka Kumbara Sangha president Shivakumar Chowdashetty into its fold. A few weeks ago, it had welcomed Vishwakarma community State president K.P. Nanjundi.
As the OBCs form one of the major chunks of population in Karnataka, the party is said to be making efforts to woo them as part of a plan to widen its support base. In fact, in the ongoing Vistharaka initiative of volunteers dedicating 15 days for party work, it is mandatory for them to hold meetings with Dalit and OBC community residents.
According to sources, the BJP is planning to organise a convention of OBC members in Bengaluru sometime by the end of this month.
To reach out to OBC communities, it is also planning to organise a seminar on the issues pertaining to them in a few days. Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister T.C. Gehlot is expected to participate in the seminar proposed to be held in the State capital.
Meanwhile, former Legislative Assembly secretary T. Rajanna also joined the saffron party on Wednesday.