The Hindu : BJP projecting Bharat Hegde in north Karnataka

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 16, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

BJP projecting Bharat Hegde in north Karnataka

By R. Chandrakanth

BAGALKOT, MARCH 15. In the northern belt of the State, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has started projecting Bharat Hegde, son of the late Ramakrishna Hegde, in its bid to cash in on Hegde's political legacy. Bharat Hegde, who is accompanying the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, addressed gatherings at Navalgund and Bagalkot today, the sixth day of the `Bharat Uday Yatra.'

At both these places, Mr. Advani spoke about the governance of Ramakrishna Hegde and their relationship which grew during the days of the Emergency when they were jailed for 19 months in Bangalore. Mr. Advani mentioned that Bharat Hegde had not overcome the death of his father.

Bharat Hegde, who spoke briefly, said he was still grieving the death of his father but, keeping national interests in mind, he, his sister Samata Hegde and brother-in-law Gopal had joined the BJP under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He said his father had advised them to take a decision about joining politics after his death. "I seek the blessings and support of the people."

Mr. Bharat said that Ramakrishna Hegde, after leaving the Congress in 1969, never looked back, and formed the first non-Congress Government in the State in 1983. In the present scenario, there were only two political parties on the national scene — the Congress and the BJP — and, under the leadership of Mr. Vajpayee, the country would achieve greater heights.

The State BJP President, H.N. Ananth Kumar said that Shakuntala Hegde, wife of Ramakrishna Hegde, had extended her support to the BJP in writing to Mr. Vajpayee.

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