BJP’S chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa is confident that Karnataka will open the party’s “gateway in the South”. Having made improvisations like “right to food” and a cyber café in each village, the BJP hopes to put its best performance in the state elections. The party’s chief campaigner is getting good response in his rallies, but the first phase of elections on Saturday may not be particularly good for the party. Extracts from an exclusive interview:•How are you placed in the first phase of elections? The 89 seats going to polls on Saturday are not particularly good for you.Besides the Bangalore seats, where we’re particularly strong, we’ve tremendously improved our prospects in Tumkur and Mysore. We are confident of getting at least 40 out of the 89 seats going to polls.•Why is the Karnataka election important for the BJP and the country?For one, the BJP will get an absolute majority in the state, forcing the Congress to abandon the idea of a mid-term poll. Secondly, they will have to take urgent measures on price rise. Thirdly, the win will reinvigorate the party for the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state.•And why is it important for the BJP?Since the days when I was the lone party MLA in the Assembly, we’ve come a long way. There have been many occasions when Atalji and Advaniji have asked me to go to the Rajya Sabha and join the Union Cabinet, but I have always said that I would work only in the state.•How did you overcome your problems with Ananth Kumar in the party?He is looking after the 28 Bangalore seats in the first phase. We’ve a perfect understanding and we’re talking everyday on party moves.•But the Congress has gained after S M Krishna’s entry onto the scene.The move has only fuelled factionalism in the Congress. They have multiple groups and Krishna’s entry has only intensified their intra-party fight.•In one of your internal surveys, “drinking water” was found to be the biggest problem faced by the state’s voters. Yet, no leader has spoken on the issue.I’ve been talking a lot about development and our manifesto provides a comprehensive account on that. The right to food is also important for us.•Like Gujarat, the BJP has allowed you a lot of leeway in Karnataka. Is the ongoing election akin to Gujarat elections?Narendra Modiji was the Chief Minister when he faced elections. And he won a handsome victory for the party. The BJP in the state has been in opposition throughout, and will come to power for the first time. It’s with the blessings of the RSS that we’ve managed to reach this stage. Modiji is our star campaigner and he has already addressed at least 10 meetings here.•You have been touring the state extensively. Will this continue after the elections?I’ve held more than 100 public meetings in 65 Assembly constituencies after the announcement of the election dates. I had covered around 100 Assembly constituencies after resigning as the CM. I’m not relying on any election survey, and before the third phase of elections, I would have completed all the Assembly constituencies in the state. After the elections, I’ll undertake a tour of the 28 Lok Sabha seats to make Advaniji the next PM.
