BJP to focus on Old Mysuru region for majority in 2023 polls: C T Ravi

Belagavi (K'taka): BJP National General Secretary C T Ravi on Wednesday said his party will be giving a special focus on the 'Old Mysuru' region in the runup to 20203 assembly polls in Karnataka, as the party has realised that without winning the confidence of people in the region, it cannot get majority.

He said the BJP will go before the people in the Vokkaliga-dominated Old Mysuru region where it is perceived as weak, with development and Hindutva as the agenda.

His comments have come in the wake of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's scheduled visit to the region's Mandya on December 30 and Devanahalli on December 31.

"Amit Shah, like a good player, can give a good performance on any pitch. We are focusing on the old Mysuru region. We have realised from the 2008 and 2018 elections that we cannot get a majority without winning the confidence of people in this region. So, while focusing on the entire state, we will give special focus on the Old Mysuru region," Ravi said in response to a question.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, the BJP will work towards winning more seats in Mandya, Mysuru, Hassan, Chamarajanagar, Bengaluru rural, Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts.

The Vokkaliga-dominated region is considered to be the bastion of JD(S), where Congress is also strong.

Stating that the BJP will go for election with a report card on its performance, Ravi said, "Take PM-KISAN, for example. Hasn't it reached farmers of the Old Mysuru region? Haven't people of the region benefited from the Bengaluru-Mysuru corridor? Milk subsidy that farmers get was started by the BJP. Also, the Hassan airport, which was former PM H D Deve Gowda's dream, is being implemented by the BJP. We have so many such things to tell people." Responding to a question on reservation demand by Vokkaligas to hike their quota from 4 to 12 per cent, he said, "BJP is committed to social justice, we will find a formula where everyone gets justice."

BJP has been making consistent efforts to make inroads into constituencies or regions where it is not strong, especially in the old Mysuru region, aimed at reaping political dividends.

In the 2018 polls, the BJP managed to win one seat in Hassan; later in a high-voltage 2019 bypolls, it managed to win the K R Pet seat, its first victory in Mandya district, and also won Chikkballapur, another first.

Creating history of sorts, the party bagged the Sira assembly segment in Tumakuru district for the first time in November, 2020 by polls.

Cooperation Minister ST Somashekhar said one lakh people are expected at a public meeting, which Shah will address in Mandya.

"People from Mandya, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar and Hassan will attend the convention... Mandya would cease to be the fortress of the JD(S) and Congress," he said.

According to the Minister, in Mandya, Shah will open a mega dairy on December 30, after which he is scheduled to address cooperatives, where a memorandum will be submitted to him on doubling NABARD's Rs 24,000 crore loan.

He is also scheduled to hold talks with milk unions, which will be participated by one thousand directors of primary agricultural credit societies, and the same number of milk suppliers and members of women self-help groups.