Bengaluru, May 7 (IANS) Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Bengaluru after the completion of elections in five states, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka said preparations were underway for a major public event.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Thursday, Ashoka stated that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s achievements are known across the world and added that even the President of the United States has congratulated the Prime Minister. He also said that the Bharatiya Janata Party forming a government in West Bengal for the first time is a matter of pride for the party.
Ashoka said Narendra Modi would address the people of Bengaluru and described the event as open to the public.
“All party workers and members of the public should attend the programme. Meetings have been held to discuss preparations, ” he added.
He said Bharatiya Janata Party workers from Assembly constituencies near Tumakuru Road would attend the programme in Chitradurga, while party workers from ten Assembly constituencies in Bengaluru Urban district would participate in the Bengaluru event.
“We are making preparations to ensure there are no problems, ” he said.
Commenting on the bypoll results, Ashoka said by-elections should not be treated as a benchmark for Assembly elections.
“When the Bharatiya Janata Party was in power, we won 15 by-elections. But later, the Bharatiya Janata Party did not return to power in the Assembly election. Hence, bypolls are not a standard for predicting Assembly election outcomes, ” he said.
It can be noted that, as Narendra Modi is visiting Karnataka on May 10 for the first time after the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance registered a major victory in the Assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry, a preparatory meeting was held on Thursday concerning the grand felicitation programme being organised by the Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party.
Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka led the meeting. Former minister Aravind Limbavali, Member of Legislative Assembly and former Deputy Chief Minister Ashwath Narayan, former minister Gopalaiah, Members of Legislative Assembly S. R. Vishwanath, Muniraju and C. K. Ramamurthy, State General Secretary Nandish Reddy and other party leaders were present at the meeting.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bengaluru on May 10 to attend the 45th-anniversary celebrations of the Art of Living and the 70th birthday of its founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
According to a press release from the ashram, the Prime Minister will deliver the keynote address at the celebrations and also inaugurate the newly constructed Dhyan Mandir, a dedicated meditation hall, and nation-wide service initiatives, including year-long projects in mental well-being, rural development, nature conservation, and social transformation.
As part of these celebrations, a global meditation for World Peace, led by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, will be held on May 13.