Bengaluru: With an intention to strengthen the party’s preparations for the zilla panchayat elections that are to be held sometime in December-January, Bharatiya Janata Party national president Amit Shah will be visiting Karnataka on Sunday.
Shah will be participating in the valedictory of the first phase of the Raitha Chaitanya Yatre — the Statewide tour which aims to capitalise on the “rural anguish” owing to agrarian crisis, farmers’ suicides, drought and load-shedding, ahead of the zilla panchayat elections.
The valedictory of the yatre, which was launched in Haveri, will be held in Mysuru in the presence of Shah on Sunday.
“The yatre will serve as the ZP poll campaign,” a senior leader said. The second phase of the tour is expected to be launched in October first week while the third phase will be taken up in November.
Shah will also hold a meeting of the party’s office-bearers to discuss issues including organisational matters and preparations for the ZP polls, sources said. The issue of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike is also expected to come up during the discussion, a leader said.
The BJP is giving importance for the polls to the ZPs as these apex panchayat raj bodies serve as the foundation for the party’s Assembly election preparations. About 65 per cent of the total electorate in the State will exercise their franchise in these elections.
