BJP ready to face any elections in State, says Kateel

MANGALURU

State president of the BJP Nalin Kumar Kateel said here on Wednesday that the party is ready to face any elections in the State in view of the Supreme Court’s directive to the Madhya Pradesh Election Commission to notify local body elections without reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

In its directive on Tuesday, the Supreme Court had mandated all States to follow the triple test laid down for such reservation. The test involves the appointment of panels, gathering empirical data for quantifying the extent and backwardness local body-wise and ensuring that the quota does not exceed the 50% ceiling.

The court’s directive has implications for the State as elections to various local bodies, including the zilla panchayats and the taluk panchayats, are over due.

Addressing presspersons, Mr. Kateel said that the BJP will ensure that the 33% reservation for OBCs is maintained while selecting candidates from the general category.

“Thus, we will ensure that justice is provided to OBCs while fielding candidates,” he said.

Mr. Kateel, who is also a Member of Parliament from Dakshina Kannada, said that it is up to the State Election Commission to take a decision on holding elections to the local bodies.

Exuding the confidence that the BJP will win local body elections in the State, he said that as part of the continued strategy of the party to win the elections, it has now formed page committees. Each such committee has five members whose responsibility is to convince the voters listed out in each page to vote for the BJP.