Karnataka will be BJP's gateway to South: Jaitley

MANDATE 2004

Union Law Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesman Arun Jaitley has said the forthcoming parliamentary elections will mark the BJP's entry into north-eastern and southern India.

"Karnataka will be the gateway of the BJP for its entry into South India, and we will emerge in Karnataka as the main party," Jaitley told the media here on Thursday.

The BJP general secretary said that after having strengthened its hold in the northern parts of the country, the party had moved towards central and western India, where it is now is in power.

"But this election will be very important for us. There has been an unprecedented BJP wave in northeastern states, especially in Arunachal and Assam," Jaitley said.

Commenting on the prospects of the party in South India, Jaitley said that while the BJP would make an impact in some South Indian states like Karnataka, and it will be the dominant player in others. Jaitley said this would change the image of the party as having a presence all over the country.

Jaitley said that the five main issues that will be at the centre state during this election will be leadership, political stability, management of the economy, national security and foreign policy and whether there exists an alternative to the NDA coalition.