CM Yediyurappa confident about BJP backed candidates winning majority of seats in GP polls

Bengaluru: Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday said the candidates supported by the ruling BJP are likely to win a majority of the seats that went to polls during the recent Gram Panchayat elections in the state. "...According to my information it is certain that 85-90 per cent BJP supported candidates will get elected in Gram Panchayat polls," he said. Speaking to reporters here, Yediyurappa said, it is a known fact that Congress leaders did not show much interest in these polls, while our workers, MLAs and Ministers went around their respective constituencies, worked hard and tried to make people aware at the grass root level. "It is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's desire to further enable the Gram Panchayats in the days to come.

I assure that all honest efforts will be made by the government to strengthen Gram Panchayats and for their development," he added. Gram Panchayat polls were held in two phases in Karnataka with necessary COVID precautions. While voting for 3,019 panchayats in 117 taluks were held in the first phase on December 22, polling took place 2,709 panchayats of 109 taluks in the second phase on December 27. The counting of votes for both phases will take place on December 30. Though these polls don't take place on party symbols, all the political parties had put in efforts to ensure that the candidate supported by them wins, so as to have their hold on the grass root level politics, which may prove advantageous for them in taluk or zilla panchayat and even assembly polls whenever it happens.

The Chief Minister also indicated that it is unlikely that there will be any changes in opening of schools and Pre- University colleges in the state from January 1, 2021. "We have said that they will open from January 1, I don't think there will be any changes. I will once again discuss and finalise," he added. The state government had earlier this month decided to open schools and Pre-University colleges for class 10 and second year PUC (class 12) from January 1. It had also decided to start the Vidyagama programme, which enables continued schooling for students from classes six to nine with standard operating procedures from the same day.