Udupi: Congress Leaders Take Digs at State Govt, Urge Party Workers to Ensure Win
Shubhalakshmi
Pics: Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Udupi, Feb 27: Congress leaders and party workers gathered at the Royal Gardens, Kalasanka here on Monday Febraury 27 for a massive convention ahead of the Udupi-Chikmagalur bypoll.
Leaders of the party including Rajya Sabha MP Oscar Fernandes, KPCC president Parameshwar, union corporate affairs minister Veerappa Moily, Congress candidate for the upcoming bypoll Jayaprakash Hegde, union railways minister K H Muniyappa and others were present.
A large number of Congress party workers also took part in the convention.
Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the convention, AICC general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Madhusudan Mistry said that BJP has not done any development work in Karnataka.
"We (Congress) should work hard and bring about progress. Jayaprakash Hegde is the symbol of our party, and we must win this election," he added.
Muniyappa called upon the Congress leaders and partymen to rebuild the party once more in the state.
Veerappa Moily termed the upcoming bypoll as 'dharma yuddha' (war) and said that the victory of Congress lies in the hands of the people. He further added, "There are 13,000 posts of teachers lying vacant. BJP has been neglecting the education sector. It does not care for women's welfare, nor shows respect towards women."
Moily continued, "Even though the state government is mum on the problems faced by coffee planters, our Congress leaders led a delegation to meet the finance minister and found a solution for them,"
He concluded saying, "This BJP-led state government is in deep sleep, like Kumbhakarna."
KPCC president Parameshwar said that the upcoming bypoll was unexpected. On the state government's development works he said that as many as 80 towns are without drinking water facilities. "BJP does not care about the poor. And now the RSS also is keeping quiet," he said.
"But despite so many problems, all that BJP national chief Nitin Gadkari did during his visit to Bangalore was praise Yeddyurappa. He did not say a single word on Karnataka's development."
Parameshwar also urged each Congress worker to go the people and urge them to vote for the party. "Every Congressman has the responsibility of ensuring our victory," he said.
Oscar Fernandes also sang a similar tune and said, "Let us all unite and work towards ensuring Jayaprakash Hegde's win."
Jayaprakash Hegde said that the Congress had understood the people's pulse and gathered the public opinion. "We are confident of victory. Let the result of this bypoll be a beacon for the future of politics," he said.
Congress leader Motamma called upon the partymen to work with a 'do or die' attitude. Taking potshots at the BJP she said, "We must get rid of this communal, immoral BJP from the helm of affairs of the state. The central government is concerned about the development of backward communities, farmers, healthcare, and education and has released funds for the same. What has the state government done?" she said, adding that the BJP has no sense of responsibility.
Another Congressman, C M Ibrahim, said that he would set his camp in the district till March 18, the day of voting for Udupi-Chikmagalur bypoll. "I will visit each and every taluk. In 36 years I have not seen such a worthless government as BJP."
Among those present were Congress leaders Vinaykumar Sorake, M G Ghafoor, Gopal Poojary, Pramod Madhwaraj, Janardhan Poojary, Ramanath Rai, Mohiuddin, Pratapchandra Shetty, Mallikarjun, Neela Kantappa, M L Murthy and others.