Most KJP election candidates in the city are ex-BJP workers. But in Sarvagna Nagar, the party is fielding Michael B Fernandes, who had been with the JD(U) until recently.
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Yeddyurappa, who is leading KJP, has a tainted record. What is your comment on this?
I don’t believe much of what media talks about Yeddyurappa. About illegal mining, one can find out from papers that Yeddyurappa was fighting against illegal mining. The ministers in his cabinet involved in those activities, were posted by Congress. Yeddyurappa was urging the Centre to ban export of ore. Centre delayed it. Congress, in both state and centre, backed up the ministers responsible and wanted Yeddyurappa to quit his chair. Second is Santosh Hegde’s report on illegal denotifications by Yeddyurappa, which has been rejected by the High Court. Let the court decide, media cannot decide. Many chief ministers and father-son combinations have done more than what Yeddyurappa has done. I have never seen a CM who was mentally tortured and harassed as much as Yeddyurappa was. I have not seen anyone showing the courage and fortitude that he has. He could take KJP forward like no one else could; he has the charisma for that.What about the attacks on churches during his tenure?
Many feel that he was anti-minority as a BJP man. But when he gave Rs 500 crore for Hindu temples, he raised the funds for minorities from Rs 86 crore to Rs 386 crore. For 2% of the Christian population, he set up an exclusive fund of Rs 50 crore to be handled by a separate committee of Christians. He has secular credentials. Now he’s out of BJP and shackles binding him, he is saying ‘social justice to all’ by equal share and equal opportunities for all. I accept that as his signature line. Mahendra Kumar of Bajrang Dal had claimed responsibility for the church attacks on TV. Saffron parivar was obliged to remove him then, but Yeddyurappa did not protect him. Yeddyurappa was not the total boss of the show - you have to be in his shoes to know the pressure on him. [. . .].FULL text at: http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/articles/view/5237-sarvagna-nagar-michael-fernades-assembly-elections
