BJP welcomes announcement of poll dates

Bangalore, Apr 3 (UNI) BJP Karnataka today welcomed the announcement of poll dates for the state Legislative Assembly next month and took it as a challenge.

BJP spokesman Suresh Kumar, talking at a press conference here, said, "BJP welcomes the Election Commission's decision to hold elections in three phases and end the process before six month period of the Governor rule. At the same time the party would take it as a challenge and come to power on its own." Stating that Congress dream of getting the elections postponed was shattered following announcement of the dates, he said that the AICC General Secretary and incharge of Karnataka Prithviraj Chauhan's statement 'what is hurry for elections' shows that Congress was not prepared and announcement of poll dates was a severe blow to the prospects of the party in the May elections." Former Minister Ramachandregowda, who was also present took strong exception to JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy claims on farm loan waiver by the JD(S)-BJP government in Karnataka earlier.

"It was BJP which initiated banning Lottery system and it was former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa who strugled day and night for introducing loan waiver and slashing interest rate to four per cent on farmers loan taken from cooperative sector," he said.

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