New Karnataka LoP R Ashoka slams Congress, vows BJP sweep in Lok Sabha polls

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], November 17 : After the BJP legislature party meeting, the newly appointed Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Karnataka, R Ashoka, expressed gratitude for being elected by his party, including prominent leaders such as PM Modi, Amit Shah, JP Nadda, General Secretary Santhosh, and fellow MLAs.
During his statement, Ashoka seized the opportunity to critique the Congress party, saying that they have made no significant contributions to the welfare of the poor and farmers in the past six months. He pointed to internal discord within the Congress, specifically highlighting the ongoing power struggle between Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar over the Chief Minister post.
"My party, PM Modi, Amit Shah, JP Nadda, General Secretary Santhosh, and all our MLAs today elected me as LoP of the Karnataka Assembly... Congress has done nothing for the poor and farmers in the last 6 months; they're infighting; Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar are fighting over the CM post," R Ashoka said.
He mentioned that decisions regarding their strategy and candidates would be discussed with party president JP Nadda and finalised based on the central leadership's guidance.
"Our leaders have taken an opinion. After this, it will be discussed with party president JP Nadda, and then it will be announced. All decisions will be taken by the central leadership," he said.
He also thanked the BJP and the MLAs present in the meeting and stated that the BJP high command has tasked them to win all 28 parliamentary constituencies in Lok Sabha elections.
"I thank you for electing me as the Leader of the Opposition. The BJP will win all 28 seats in the state in the Lok Sabha elections," R. Ashoka said.
BJP leader CN Ashwath Narayan affirmed the unanimous election of R Ashoka as the legislative party leader and LoP.
"The high command and members of the Legislative Assembly have unanimously elected R. Ashoka as the legislative party leader and as LoP. We will work unitedly without any difference. You can see in the upcoming session how we will be performing and how the ruling party will be floored to the ground," he said.
Earlier, the BJP announced the appointment of former Deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka as the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.
R Ashoka is an MLA from the Padmanabhanagar constituency. He also held the revenue portfolio in the previous BJP government led by Basavaraj Bommai in Karnataka.
Congress registered victory on 135 seats, and the BJP managed to secure 66 seats in a 224-seat assembly in the Assembly polls held in Karnataka in May this year. The state saw a voting percentage of 72.68 per cent.