The Bhartiya Janata Party has welcomed the Election Commission's decision to hold three-phased polling for electing a new state assembly in Karnataka beginning on May 10 and ending on May 25 when counting of votes would decide who would form the next government in the state.
"We welcome the announcement of the polls by the election commission. The Congress was trying to get the voting postponed on one ground or the other," BJP spokesperson Rajeev Pratap Rudy told rediff.com soon after the announcement by the Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswamy on Wednesday.
The party has announced that former chief minister of Karnataka B S Yeddiyurappa would lead the party in the forthcoming elections in the state. In the outgoing assembly of 224, BJP had 90, Congress 75 and Janata Dal-Secular, led by former Prime Minister Deve Gowda, had 53 seats, with the rest belonged to other parties and independents.
Arun Jaitley, who has been made the BJP in-charge for Karnataka, held discussions with party leaders in Karnataka on March 29 to formulate a strategy for the upcoming polls. He has proved lucky for the party in several states where he had been sent to look after the interests of the party.
Rudy refused to comment when asked if the current turmoil between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over Cauvery water and other matters would help the party. "I would have to consult Arunji over this matter before making a comment," he said.
