'I faced Indira Gandhi during Emergency at the age of 17', K’taka LoP confident of taking on Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru, Nov 17 (IANS) Newly-appointed Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly, R. Ashoka, said on Friday that facing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah won’t be difficult as he had faced late Indira Gandhi during Emergency at the age of 17.

Speaking to mediapersons after being named as BJP's Leader of Opposition, the seven-time MLA said that he has worked for the party for 45 years in various capacities.

“Siddaramaiah didn't will all the elections under the symbol of one party. He had changed sides. But I've won seven elections on BJP ticket,” he said.

“All the legislators, PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President J.P. Nadda, and former CM B.S. Yediyurappa have given me this opportunity. I have fought against the Congress throughout my life,” Ashoka added.

He said the party high command has given him the task of bringing BJP back to power in Karnataka.

"I have also been given the task of winning all the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state. I don't have any hiccups to work with state BJP chief B.Y. Vijayendra. I had never opposed his father B.S. Yediyurappa,” he said.

A seven-time MLA, Ashoka presently represents the Padmanabhanagar Assembly constituency in Bengaluru.

Hailing from the Vokkaliga community, Ashoka joined the RSS at a young age. He was imprisoned for a month during the Emergency along with L.K. Advani at the Bengaluru Central Jail.