Reach out to disgruntled members, Shah tells state brass | Bengaluru News

Bengaluru: Union home minister Amit Shah Friday took note of ongoing dissidence within the Karnataka unit of the party and suggested state brass reach out to disgruntled members and set things right.Dissidence has caused severe unrest among party ranks with three MLAs — Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, Shivaram Hebbar and ST Somashekar — being expelled in the recent past.On a visit to Bengaluru to inaugurate the Adichunchanagiri University Bengaluru campus, Shah Friday met with brass of the state unit, including state president BY Vijayendra, opposition leader R Ashoka, deputy opposition leader Arvind Bellad, and Lok Sabha MP and former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai.At the meeting, Shah reportedly acknowledged internal discord and urged state office-bearers to reach out to disgruntled party members. A BJP functionary said, “Brass has been asked to take everyone along.”Sources also say that the state unit requested Shah to clarify uncertainty surrounding the party state presidency, saying it would ease dissidence within the ranks.Vijayendra later told reporters that Shah had “advised them to double efforts” to combat the “corrupt Congress govt”. “We discussed the political scenario in Karnataka and current developments,” Vijayendra said. He said Shah provided guidance and suggestions to intensify the fight against the Congress govt in the state.Meanwhile, questions surfaced regarding BJP patron and former chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s stance on Union minister Pralhad Joshi’s involvement in engaging with dissidents to resolve the rebellion. Yediyurappa expressed support for such efforts, saying he too was in favour of such a move and that he will “follow suit”.Ayushman Bharat has helped 60cr: ShahWhile addressing the gathering during the inauguration Adichunchanagiri University campus on the outskirts of the city, Shah said the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat health insurance has helped 60 crore citizens. Under the scheme, beneficiaries can avail treatments and procedures up to Rs 5 free of cost. Shah said that since 2014, the NDA govt under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has implemented a series of healthcare initiatives, including increasing the number of AIIMS hospitals from seven to 23, medical colleges from 387 to 718 and medical seats for MBBS doctors from 51,000 to nearly 1.9 lakh.