BANGALORE, Apr 13:
Congress today launched its election campaign for March 5 Assembly election in Karnataka with its leaders declaring that the party was on the verge of regaining power as people were fed up with the ‘disastrous’ rule of the BJP government and did not believe in Janata Dal(S), which was also a ‘communal party with a ‘secular mask’.
The party held a public meeting at Malleshwaram grounds here and the top state leaders gave a call that it was time to remain united as people were ready to support the party and the party workers ready to give a helping hand.
The meeting was arranged by campaign committee of the KPCC led by Veeranna Mattikatti.
In his speech, Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly Siddaramaiah slammed both BJP and the JD(S) of spoiling the image of Karnataka which was painstakingly built to emerge among the top performing states by Congress which ruled it for over 45 years.
‘It was the worst phase and a black dot on the history of Karnataka that it had to suffer under worst type of administration during the reign of the BJP since 2008.
‘JD(S) committed a culpable crime by supporting the BJP and the two parties should be rejected,’ he said.
Mr Siddaramaiah was severe in his criticism of the JD(S) saying that it was equally a communal party like BJP and was only wearing a ‘mask’ of secular party and misleading minorities.
‘H D Devegowda and his son Kumaraswamy are not secularists and willingly joined hands with communal BJP,’ he charged.
‘BJP had ushered in the worst type of immoral politics never seen in the history of the country by unleashing ‘operation lotus’ to lure opposition MLAs to its fold by using money power,’he alleged.
KPCC President G Parameshwara said Congress had prepared a ‘charge sheet’ against the BJP.
The ruling party committed worst type of corruption and ignored the interests of the poor, youth and downtrodden during its rule.
‘We will be bringing out our election manifesto in the next few days which promises transparent and responsive administration,
schemes for the poor and youth, ensuring food security for the poor.
‘It will have a big list of schemes for all sections of people and we will implement it in all earnestness and not commit a mistake like BJP did by ditching the people and throwing to wind all its election promises,’ he added.
He said both BJP and JD(S) have been exposed and people should reject both and appealed to them to bring Congress back to power.
He said the final list of 47 candidates will come out in two days after party president Sonia Gandhi give the ‘green signal’.
Dr Parameshwara said sad state of affairs in Bangalore which was facing worst type of garbage problem was a testimony to the BJP rule.
‘We see murder and rape of women every day in this city while the Home Department had badly failed in discharging its duty.
This is a slap in the face for the BJP,’ he said.
Union Minister Veerappa Moily said Congress was mentally prepared to regain power in the state and expressed confidence that it will gain two-thirds majority in the 224-member house.
The party’s focus was not to regain power but to give pro-people programmes and a tight administration.
‘We will strive to bring back the glory of Karnataka which hit the lowest ebb under JD(S)-BJP coalition rule during 2006-7 and the BJP rule during the last five years,’ he promised.
Another Union Minister,hailing from the state,Mr Mallikarjuna Kharge said people should reject B S Yeddyurappa-led Karnataka Janata Paksha ‘as it was the other face of the BJP coin.’
‘Yeddyurappa cannot turn secular after being a pro-Hindu hard liner for 45 years.
Minority voters should be sceptical of his false promises and defeat this outfit,’ he said.
(UNI)
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