Mangaluru :    Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa inaugurated the BJP State Executive Meeting at the TV Raman Pai Convention Centre  in the city on November 5, Thursday.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Thursday said with the BJP growing strong day by day, the party was poised to win 140-150 seats in the next Assembly elections.

“This however doesn’t mean party workers can take elections lightly; they have to work hard for every election, be it gram panchayat or the Lok Sabha,” he said inaugurating BJP’s State executive committee meeting in Mangaluru.

While 18 MLAs from the erstwhile coalition government were responsible for the formation of the present BJP government, BJP also gained foothold in territories where it was not strong, including Chikkaballapur and Mandya, with their support, Mr Yediyurappa said. The party thus has been emerging strong in the State. In the RR Nagar and Sira by-elections, the party would win by at least 40,000 and 20,000 vote margins respectively, he said.

“The party intends to rule the State and local bodies not for the sake of power, but to serve people. It intends to take development to new heights,” Mr Yediyurappa said while announcing ₹50 cr special grant for each of the 10 city corporations in the State, including Mangaluru, for undertaking development works. If they spend the allocation wisely, government would release more funds, up to ₹125 cr for each Corporation, he said.

Dakshina Kannada MP and State BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel  is presiding over the session.

State BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel, Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and D V Sadananda Gowda, BJP National General Secretary C T Ravi. Deputy Chief Minister Govinda Karajola, State Ministers R Ashok, Jagadish Shettar, K S Eshwarappa,  DK District in-charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary and others were present.