BJP to Review By-election Losses in State Meet

Karkala (Udupi district): The BJP will hold a state-level meeting on Tuesday to assess its loss in the most recent by-elections and plan for the future, according to Karkala MLA and BJP State General Secretary V Sunil Kumar.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Kumar acknowledged that the results were disappointing, especially in Shiggaon and two other constituencies. “We need to understand what led to this outcome. Typically, the ruling party enjoys an advantage in by-polls,” he noted.

However, Kumar dismissed the Congress’s victory as an approval of its governance. “The public has not endorsed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s alleged scams. We will raise these issues in the state legislature,” he asserted.

Kumar also addressed internal dissent, confirming that concerns raised by MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal regarding B Y Vijayendra’s leadership would be part of Tuesday’s discussions. He assured that central BJP leaders would intervene next month to resolve differences.

Commending the Anti-Naxal Force (ANF) for its recent encounter in Pithubail, Hebri, Kumar called for action against “urban naxals” allegedly supporting forest-based extremists. “The government must act decisively. Naxals cannot be allowed to threaten forest-dwelling communities,” he warned.