BJP will surpass itself in 2019 LS polls,says Amit Shah

BJP chief Amit Shah on Friday asserted his party would exceed its current tally of 282 in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, surmounting any challenge that it may face from the opposition which has been trying hard to forge a broad front against it.

Upbeat after BJP’s spectacular performance in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand where it pulverized its rivals, Shah said he was confident about surpassing the party’s all-time high score in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, with improved performance in states like West Bengal, Telangana, Odisha and Kerala.  Shah said the BJP brought many changes in the national political landscape. “We have virtually finished casteism, family rule and appeasement,” he said.

Drawing a contrast between the 10-year UPA rule and the Modi government, Shah said the former was marked by a scam almost every month, while even the rivals of the BJP-led dispensation have not been able to level a single charge of corruption against it.

Asserting that India has become the fastest growing economy in the world, he said the government has taken a slew of measures, including reforms, to contain inflation and boost GDP. “India’s self-confidence, pride and scale of ambition have grown manifold in three years of the Modi government,” he added. 

Former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa will be the BJPs chief ministerial face in the Assembly polls scheduled early next year, party president Amit Shah said on Friday.

During an interaction with PTI, Shah also indicated that Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani would be the party’s choice for the top post in the state, asserting that it would win more than 150 seats in the Assembly polls slated later this year. The Assembly has 182 seats. He, however, said the party has not yet decided on its chief ministerial face in Himachal Pradesh, which goes to polls along with Gujarat. “It (Karnataka election) will be fought under Yeddyurappa,” Shah said. Asked if it meant that Yeddyurappa, who is the BJPs Karnataka unit chief, will be the chief ministerial face, he said, “He will be.”

The Karnataka unit has been facing factional fight with a group headed by former deputy chief minister K S Eshwarappa targeting Yeddyurappas leadership. To a question on the party’s state of affairs in Karnataka, Shah said he would visit the state soon. The party had recently taken action against some leaders, suspected to be behind the internal wrangling.

Yeddyurappa (74), an influential Lingayat leader, had led the saffron party to its maiden victory in the southern state in 2008, but was forced to resign following charges of corruption against him.