State-wide campaign to 'refurbish' BJP image

BJP’s Karnataka unit today asked party wor-kers to undertake a state-wide campaign to “refur-bish” the party’s image to ensure that the recent dissident activity does not have an adverse impact on its poll prospects in the December 18 election for the state legislative council.

The state-level office bearers and the Election Committee meeting here asked party workers to reach out to the people and convince them that the “crisis is over”, state unit BJP President D V Sadananda Gowda told reporters.

The Central BJP leader-ship had recently worked out a compromise formula to end the revolt by three ministers of Bellary, including tourism minister G Janardhana Reddy, demanding change in leadership of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.

Gowda said the party dec-ided to re-schedule organi-sational polls with election for state unit chief slated for January 4, from the earlier deadline of December 15, in view of the election to the legislative council.

Similarly, elections at mandal level would now be held from December 19-25 and for district unit presidents, from December 26-30, Gowda said.

A list of candidates’ names for the Council election would be ready by December 28 and would later be sent to the party’s Central Election Committee for approval, he said.