Ravi, a sitting MLA in Karnataka, also came in defence of his party leader and chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, who has been under continuous attack from the Congress that dubbed him weak. Bommai has managed the state well and was “not the liability” for the party, he said.
“If the Congress has an Ahinda strategy (a Kannada acronym for minorities, Dalits and backward classes), BJP has the Hind card, which means a compilation of Hindutva, nationalism and development. We don’t resort to casteism for the sake of votes,” Ravi told ET.
The BJP believes in unifying the society while working for national interest and overall development, he said, adding: “Our idea of HIND will outplay Congress tactics of dividing society on castes for gains in elections.”
The four-time MLA from Chikkamagaluru, who was in the national capital to take part in BJP’s central election committee meeting, said above all the party has Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “the tallest leader in the country and the BJP’s biggest strength”.
On BS Yediyurappa, who stepped down as chief minister after crossing 75 years of age and is not contesting elections this time, Ravi said the party is fighting elections “under his guidance”. Yediyurappa is very much involved in the party activities in the state, he said.
He praised chief minister Bommai, describing him as a “mature politician.” By rejigging reservation in Karnataka and introducing internal quotas, Bommai has taken a landmark step to ensure social justice to all communities, he said.The BJP is likely to announce its candidates very soon for Karnataka, where it is locked in a tight contest with the Congress to retain power.
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