Yeddyurappa says his next target is to storm assembly polls

BANGALORE: After playing spoilsport to the ruling BJP in the recently concluded polls to Urban Local Bodies in Karnataka, KJP President B S Yeddyurappa today set his eyes on storming the Assembly in upcoming elections.

"My first target was to finish the BJP in ULB elections because they had ditched me. People have taught them a lesson. My next target is to storm assembly in the upcoming polls," he told reporters here.

Yeddyurappa said the central BJP leaders should realise the importance of his contribution to the growth of their party in the state.

"Without me, the BJP has cut a sorry figure as it lost in almost all districts, particularly strongholds like Udupi and Puutur in ULB elections," the former Karnataka Chief Minister said.

Yeddyurappa said the Karnataka Janata Paksha has performed satisfactorily in the ULB polls, though losing some of his stronghold districts like Shimoga.

"We are a nascent party and were concentrating on assembly elections, but never expected early ULB polls. So we had inadequate time to prepare. But winning about 300 wards in three months is not a mean achievement," he added.

Yeddyurappa said KJP would not ally with any other party before or after assembly polls. "We are going to contest 224 constituencies. I am confident we will get absolute majority," he said.

Yeddyurappa denied indirectly supporting Congress in ULB polls and said he was worried about KJP. "The Congress, however, have benefited from the ULB elections, whereas JDS lost more than 600 wards compared to the previous ULB polls held in 2007," he said.