Bengaluru, Feb 19 (IANS) The State Executive meeting of the Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was inaugurated in Bengaluru on Thursday at Palace Grounds. Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat inaugurated the meeting at Gayatri Grand, Palace Grounds, in Bengaluru in the presence of prominent national and state leaders.
He also expressed confidence that the BJP would secure a majority in the upcoming 2028 State Assembly elections.
Addressing the gathering, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that the BJP State Executive meeting held in Bengaluru was not merely an organisational gathering but also a session of introspection and organisational assessment.
He said that the meeting was meant to reflect on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India and to reaffirm the party’s resolve to remove what he termed a corrupt government from power and regain authority in Karnataka. He said that the struggles and legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj continue to inspire the party, its leadership, and its cadre across the country.
Describing the BJP as a movement rooted in cultural nationalism, Shekhawat recalled former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s statement that when the BJP rises, darkness will fade and the lotus will bloom.
He termed it a clarion call for ideological resurgence and organisational renewal. He said that the Bharatiya Jana Sangh was the seed form of the party and noted that the BJP has grown into the world’s largest political party, crediting its founders, ideological leaders, and grassroots workers for building and expanding the organisation over decades.
He praised former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa for his major contribution to strengthening the party in Karnataka and expanding its political base across the state.
The Union Minister expressed confidence that the BJP would return to power in Karnataka with a massive majority in 2028. He also paid tribute to early party workers, stating that the party’s current strength is built on the strong foundation laid by them through sustained dedication and organisational work.
Shekhawat criticised the Congress for imposing the Emergency in the country and recalled that opposition leaders were jailed during that period.
He said that those who were responsible for imposing the Emergency are now claiming that democracy is under threat, which he said was contradictory and misleading.
He asserted that Karnataka must bring the BJP back to power in order to contribute to the broader national goal of transforming India into a developed nation under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi.
Shekhawat alleged that Karnataka has become corrupt and financially bankrupt, referring to the MUDA scam and other alleged irregularities and scams.
He criticised what he described as inefficient governance and claimed that internal conflict over the Chief Minister’s post began at the very start of the present government and continues even now, affecting governance and administrative functioning.
He said that people are questioning the status, implementation, and sustainability of the government’s guarantee schemes and alleged that the state’s debt burden has increased sharply under the present administration.
The Union Minister accused the government of insulting Hindus and said that the people of Karnataka would respond appropriately to these developments through democratic means.
He urged party workers to work towards victory in the upcoming local body elections and other electoral contests and to strengthen the BJP at the grassroots level across the state.
Calling it a period of testing and preparation, he asked party workers to go door to door and inform people about what he described as the failures, shortcomings, and governance lapses of the Congress government.
National General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Radha Mohan Das Agarwal also expressed confidence that the BJP would win the 2028 Assembly elections in the state.
He appreciated the party’s continuous struggles and organisational efforts in Karnataka and criticised attempts to ban RSS activities. He also alleged that Muslims were being given more facilities compared to Scheduled Castes and termed the present administration a corrupt and discriminatory government.
The meeting was presided over by BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra. Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi, Shobha Karandlaje and V. Somanna, Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka, Legislative Council Opposition Leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, co-in-charge P. Sudhakar Reddy, former Chief Ministers B.S. Yediyurappa, D.V. Sadananda Gowda and Jagadish Shettar, former Deputy Chief Ministers Govind Karjol and C.N. Ashwathnarayan, former State President Nalin Kumar Kateel, Chief Whips Doddanagouda Patil and N. Ravikumar, MPs, MLAs, MLCs, former ministers, and members of the State Executive were present on the occasion.
–IANS
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