BJP executive meeting didn't discuss Assembly bypoll result in state: Karnataka minister R Ashoka

BENGALURU : The BJP national executive, which convened in New Delhi on Sunday, did not discuss the Hanagal and Sindagi assembly bypoll results in Karnataka, Revenue Minister R Ashoka said here on Sunday. The meeting, which included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, took note of the party’s progress in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, he added.

After taking part in the executive meet virtually, Ashoka told reporters that the executive had condoled the untimely death of 'Power star' Puneeth Rajkumar and former CM Udasi. The deliberations, held for over two hours on the upcoming elections in five states, including Uttar Pradesh, was on development as an issue. Modi expressed confidence that BJP would win.

He received appreciation at the meeting for handling the COVID-19 situation effectively in terms of ensuring adequate oxygen, manufacturing vaccines and exporting to other countries, ensuring over 100 crore people are vaccinated, and keeping the financial status of the country in good shape when other countries were languishing, Ashoka said.

Party workers who couldn't stage protests as the party was ruling both at the state and Centre, have chosen serve people in distress, and this should continue, the meeting observed.

The minister said that although the Congress has been on the decline elsewhere in the country, leaders in Karnataka are upbeat over the Hanagal victory. "It was a tough seat for us as even Udasi used to win by a slender margin in the past. But we are going to win the seat next time," Ashoka said.

CM Basavaraj Bommai meets RSS leaders

BENGALURU: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday held a meeting with RSS leaders at his official quarters on Race Course Road, on Sunday morning. An RSS leader from Karnataka C R Mukund arrived at the CM’s residence and held a meeting with Bommai over breakfast, which lasted about 20-30 minutes.

Soon after Mukund left, Bommai participated in the BJP National Executive meeting virtually. Details of the meeting are not known and neither side offered any details. It may be recalled that RSS leaders had visited former CM B S Yediyurappa about two weeks ago, and no details of the meeting were available.