Former Chief Minister and senior BJP leader D.V. Sadananda Gowda on Friday, June 23, admitted that the Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh models that were experimented in Karnataka elections did not work. He, however, denied that senior party leaders were neglected during polls and not taken into confidence which led to the defeat.
Talking to press persons in Mandya, Mr. Gowda, who was in the town to hold a meeting with the party workers and leaders to find out reasons for the poll debacle, said the move to field fresh faces like in U.P. and Gujarat elections did not yield results as expected.
While denying that former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa was sidelined in the party, Mr. Gowda said Mr. Yediyurappa continues to be the party’s tallest leader and the Central leadership has not sidelined him. “He (Mr. Yediyurappa) is the member of the party’s parliamentary board which is the highest position given to him. This shows the kind of importance he has in the party. Moreover, the elections were fought under his leadership,” he replied.
