BJP has a fighting chance; in Mandya too saffron party will spring surprise: SM Krishna

The BJP has “a fighting chance” in the coming Legislative Assembly elections in Karnataka, according to former Chief Minister S M Krishna, who believes that the saffron party will spring a very big surprise even in regions like Mandya where it couldn’t find a base so far.

In an interview on Saturday, Mr. Krishna, who quit the Congress and joined the BJP about 11 months ago, said, “We (BJP) have a fighting chance in the ensuing Assembly elections in Karnataka.”

While admitting that the election results are difficult to predict, especially in Karnataka, Mr. Krishna said the BJP had a bright future, considering Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personality and his “purposeful governance”. Also, the BJP had “a united face” under the leadership of its State president B.S. Yeddyurappa, he claimed.

To a question on whether identity politics raised by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah around issues such as Kannada flag and Kannada language will benefit the Congress, Mr. Krishna said, “I don’t think so. The people of Karnataka have graduated above that.”

Hitting out at the various ‘Bhagya’ schemes of the Siddaramaiah government, he said the present Congress government lacked fiscal discipline.

On the BJP’s prospects in Mandya district, where the party has no significant vote bank, Mr. Krishna said, “Now a large number young men and women are attracted by the personality of Mr. Modi, so they are joining hands. I think the coming elections will spring a very big surprise even in those districts where the BJP traditionally has not been established.”