Months ahead of 2023 Karnataka Assembly election, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday (December 31) approved the plan to expand Karnataka government cabinet in order to accommodate disgruntled BJP MLAs and stop them from jumping ship.
Shah also met booth level workers in the state to hold discussions over the preparations needed at grassroots level to help the BJP win the Assembly elections scheduled to take place in May.
The meeting was also attended by Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and other party leaders like state Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, BJP General Secretary and state in-charge Arun Singh, National General Secretary BL Santhosh, and National Secretary CT Ravi.
BJP is trying its best to strengthen its base in the Old Mysuru region, which is seen as a stronghold of the Janata Dal (Secular) and Congress.
On Friday, Shah inaugurated the Mega Dairy plant in Maddur Taluk of Mandya district. The senior BJP leader also slammed the Congress and singled out former Congress CM Siddaramaiah for not acting tough against the now-banned radical Islamist outfit Popular Front of India. Shah asserted that the PFI was banned nationally only after the formation of the BJP government in Karnataka.
"Many chances have been given to JD(S)-Congress, and they have been alternating. This time, lotus will bloom in Mandya and Mysuru. We will win the majority," he said.
Shah also met Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji - the head pontiff of Adichunchanagiri Math.
