BJP will not back off, will give befitting response to Cong: Vijayendra

Newly appointed Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra on Saturday said his party workers will not back off from agitations against the ruling Congress and will give a befitting response to the ruling party in the state in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

He also said he would strive to strengthen the party right from the booth level.

The BJP on Friday had appointed Vijayendra, the younger son of veteran leader and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, as its state unit president. He was until now the state vice-president of the party.

"There is no example of BJP workers backing off from any struggle or agitation. It is in the blood of our party workers, there is no question of fearing and running away," Vijayendra said in response to a question about party workers allegedly not coming forward to take part in agitations due to the fear of the Congress government booking cases against them.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, "Let Congress people be how ever vociferous they are, our workers will organise the party, going beyond such things, and we will give a befitting response in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections."

The newly appointed state BJP chief began his activities on the first day, by visiting the residence of the party's booth president at Gandhi Nagar Assembly segment here.

Pointing out that there are a total of 58,282 booths in Karnataka, Vijayendra said, aimed at strengthening the party at booth level, he was first visiting the residence of a booth president.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national President J P Nadda believe in the idea that -- the party will win the country, if it wins booths -- he said, "So, by visiting the residence of Gandhi Nagar booth president, we have taken a step towards strengthening all the 58,282 booths in the state."

Expressing happiness about visiting the house of a loyal party worker and a booth president, on the first day after his appointment as state BJP chief, Vijayendra said, several party stalwarts have grown to the level where they are today, starting as booth president.

The 47-year-old, who is the first-time MLA from Shikaripura in Shivamogga district replaces Nalin Kumar Kateel, a three-time Lok Sabha member from Dakshina Kannada, who had completed his three-year term as the BJP state president, and was given an extension last year in view of the impending Assembly elections.