Congress misusing state machinery for poll gain: BSY

The state BJP on Monday charged the ruling Congress with misusing the state machinery for electoral gains in the Nanjangud Assembly constituency, by-elections for which are likely to be announced soon.

The Nanjangud seat was held by former minister V Srinivas Prasad who quit the Congress October last. Prasad officially joined the BJP on Monday. The BJP has already declared Prasad as its candidate for the bypoll.

BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa accused the Siddaramaiah government of doling out sops to the voters of Nanjangud — providing them with housing facilities and interest-free loans during the last few weeks. “Siddaramaiah suddenly seems to have developed a keen interest in the development of Nanjangud. The government has already spent Rs 200 crore to Rs 250 crore in the constituency,” he said. Yeddyurappa said the Congress was struggling to find a candidate who could be fielded against Prasad. He said the BJP will win the bypoll by a huge margin.

“The Nanjangud by-elections will be a game-changer in electoral politics in the state,” Yeddyurappa said. He also called upon party functionaries to get like-minded Dalit leaders from other parties into the BJP.

Yeddyurappa said the BJP will announce its list of candidates for the 2018 Assembly polls six months in advance. The party had set itself a target to secure two-thirds majority in the polls. The state BJP has also set a target to win 25 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 general elections, he said.