Three BJP leader who are thought to be Basavaraj Bommai’s closest associates in the state of Karnataka have refused assertions made by the Congress party that plans are afoot to have him replaced.
After Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Karnataka last week and conversation arose about Bommai being replaced as Chief Minister.
Following the recent murder of a youth leader in the Dakshina Kannada district, Bommai has faced harsh criticism from within the BJP.
On Monday, police arrested two more people in connection with the Praveen Nettaru at Bellare in Karnataka’s Dakshin Kannada district. The number of arrests in the case rose to six , with the arrest of Abid Navoor (22) and Mohammed Noufal (28).
In state polls in 2023, Bommai will lead the BJP said BJP’s Karnataka unit president Nalin Kumar Kateel, Revenue Minister R Ashoka and Health Minister K Sudhakar.
“There will be no changes in the BJP. Bommai will be the CM for the full term. We will go for the next election under the guidance of Yediyurappa and the leadership of Bommai. The Congress party is trying to hide its internal problems by saying there will be a third CM for the BJP in the state,” said Kateel Tuesday.
“The Congress party is going around saying the BJP will soon get a third CM in Karnataka. It is a joke. There is a big fight within the Congress party itself about who should be the leader. Our chief minister Basavaraj Bommai is the CM now, he will be CM later and also after the polls,” said Ashoka, another close ally, in a statement.
“The other day Amit Shah paid a visit to the state and spoke highly about the state. There is no possibility of a change of the CM. If for any reason people believe this then they will have to get their heads examined. As long as Modi and Amit Shah are leading the BJP the Congress will be consigned to a corner. Our CM is a simple CM and we will fight the next polls under his leadership,” the revenue minister said.
Sudhakar said, “The BJP government is safe under the able administration of Bommai. However, somebody will be pushed out of the double-door bus of the Congress party”.
