Will contest Assembly polls under Bommai’s leadership: Arun Singh

NEW DELHI: Amid the speculation on change of guard in the state, BJP's Karnataka in-charge and general secretary Arun Singh on Friday said that the party will contest the next assembly election under the leadership of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

Singh blamed the Congress for creating confusion by raising "non issues" such as change of guard.

"We will form the government in Karnataka next year. There is no change of guard and the entire issue was created by D.K. Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah because they don't have an issue... Congress is a leader-less party. They don't have any agenda against the BJP... so they are trying to create such an issue that the CM will be changed. There is no truth into it."

When asked about some party MLAs talking about change of guard, Singh asserted that as state in-charge, he has said it many times that BJP will contest under leadership of chief minister Bommai and one has to believe him.

"I told you... that we will contest the next election under the leadership of chief minister Bommai. He is doing good work for farmers, for youth, SCs and STs. We will come back with a full majority. We have set a target of 150 seats and we will achieve it," he said.

Hitting out at the Congress, Singh said: "Congress is a divided house and they are not on the ground. They are creating confusion. Congress is a party which believes in 'tape' and 'conspiracy' in Karnataka."

The issue of change in guard cropped up with the statement of Suresh Gowda, a former MLA from Tumakuru constituency.

Gowda had hinted that there could be changes in the leadership before August 15.