Soon after results of the bypolls to two Assembly seats were announced throwing up a mixed bag for the ruling BJP, former Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa rushed to the defence of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and maintained that all the leaders should share responsibility for the defeat in Hangal.
“We faced the by-polls under collective leadership. Hence, all the leaders should take responsibility for the poll results. Nobody can question the Chief Minister’s leadership on the basis of results of Hangal by-poll,” Mr. Yediyurappa told reporters in Bengaluru.
Mr. Bommai has been chosen by the BJP national leadership to lead the party’s campaign in the 2023 Assembly polls. While the party won the bypoll in Sindhgi by a satisfying margin, it lost to the Congress in Hangal constituency.
Asking Congress leaders not to bask in the glory of their victory in Hangal thinking that it is a great achievement, Mr. Yediyurappa said, “Let there be no doubt that the BJP will win more than 140 seats (of the total 224 in the State Assembly) in the 2023 elections to the Assembly, and retain power in Karnataka.”
The BJP veteran, who had earlier put his State tour on hold, said he would embark on the tour in about 15 days to strengthen the party. “I will visit all the districts and hold consultations with party leaders and workers on the measures to be taken to strengthen the party,” he said.
At the same time, he said that party leaders would soon hold consultations to identify reasons for the defeat in Hangal. “The defeat was unexpected, as things were favourable for the party in Hangal,” he said and noted that the party leaders would rectify shortcomings, if any, in strengthening the party organisation in Hangal.
Expressing satisfaction over the party’s thumping victory in Sindhgi, he thanked voters for backing the party.