B.S. YEDDYURAPPA is the man responsible for the BJP gaining a foothold in Karnataka. He led the party to a simple majority in the 2008 assembly polls and became the BJP’s first chief minister in the south.
The mass leader suffered his share of setbacks, too, and was forced to step down as the chief minister in 2011 over corruption allegations.
While the 76-year-old continues to be a formidable force, he is also a soft target for his opponents. He recently got embroiled in the “diarygate” scandal. The Congress accused that he had paid Rs1,800 crore to various BJP leaders, based on photocopies of handwritten entries in a diary that allegedly belonged to him. He dismissed all allegations saying that diarygate was fabricated, and the court had cleared him in other cases.
In an exclusive interview, the Lingayat strongman said diarygate is fabricated, and that he is determined to win 22 of Karnataka’s 28 Lok Sabha seats. Edited excerpts:
Why would the people vote the BJP back to power in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls?
Five years back, [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi made promises— corruption-free governance, development that benefits all, securing the country’s borders and enhancing foreign relations. He has accomplished all these. There are no corruption charges against Modi or any of his cabinet members. The economy of the country has improved and traders have adapted to the GST regime.
The opposition feels that the Modi government’s foreign policy and its stand on national security is flawed.
Post the Pulwama attack, the nations of the world stood with India in condemning Pakistan. Was that not a diplomatic victory? Today, we have a new India that will not bend when attacked, but will retaliate strongly.
Does the Modi wave still exist?
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة April 07, 2019 من THE WEEK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة April 07, 2019 من THE WEEK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
The female act
The 19th edition of the Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival was of the women and by the women
A SHOT OF ARCHER
An excerpt from the prologue of An Eye for an Eye
MASTER OF MAKE-BELIEVE
50 years. after his first book, Jeffrey*Archer refuses to put down his'felt-tip Pilot pen
Smart and sassy Passi
Pop culture works according to its own unpredictable, crazy logic. An unlikely, overnight celebrity has become the talk of India. Everyone, especially on social media, is discussing, dissing, hissing and mimicking just one person—Shalini Passi.
Energy transition and AI are reshaping shipping
PORTS AND ALLIED infrastructure development are at the heart of India's ambitions to become a maritime heavyweight.
MADE FOR EACH OTHER
Trump’s preferred transactional approach to foreign policy meshes well with Modi’s bent towards strategic autonomy
DOOM AND GLOOM
Democrats’ message came across as vague, preachy and hopelessly removed from reality. And voters believed Trump’s depiction of illegal immigrants as a source of their economic woes
WOES TO WOWS
The fundamental reason behind Trump’s success was his ability to convert average Americans’ feelings of grievance into votes for him
POWER HOUSE
Trump International Hotel was the only place outside the White House where Trump ever dined during his four years as president
DON 2.0
Trump returns to presidency stronger than before, but just as unpredictable
