Narayana Swamy
Daijiworld Media Network
New Delhi, Mar 27: Newly-elected member of parliament from Udupi - Chikmagalur constituency Jayaprakash Hegde reached New Delhi to take oath as member of parliament on Monday March 26. He was accompanied by his family members, state Congress chief Dr Parameshwar, union minister Mallikarjuna Kharge, railway minister Muniyappa and Rajya Sabha member Rehaman Khan.
Speaking to daijiworld over the phone, he said Congress national president Sonia Gandhi congratulated him on his victory and advised him to concentrate on fulfilling the needs of the people in the constituency. She also fondly remembered the constituency for Indira Gandhi's victory a few decades back, he said.
She also advised the state leaders to be united, like the way they fought this bypoll, and take up new challenges in the coming days.
It is learnt that Udupi bypoll victory has been taken seriously by the Congress high command. J P Hegde, after two successive defeats in assembly (2008) and Parliament (2009), won the Udupi-Chikmaglur bypoll by a margin of over 45,000 votes.
Sources from Congress political circles say that it would be no surprise if J P Hegde gets a junior-level ministerial berth in the union cabinet, as he is regarded as one of the most respected Congress leader in Karnataka. When he won elections for the first time in 1994, he was chosen as port and fisheries minister by the then Janatha Dal government. Later in the year 1999 and 2004 he was elected for the state assembly as independent candidate.
When asked about his chances of being inducted in the union ministry, Hegde said that he is least bothered about positions, but wants to solve the problems like CRZ, railway, Nagarjuna, etc in his district.
"There are many MPs who do not speak in Parliament. I want to actively participate in the Parliament proceedings, and not just be mute spectator there. People have placed their faith in me. I will discuss the issue of Varahi project, which was stopped half way.