Mangalore: 'Praja Pragati Ranga' Sees Itself as New Choice in Politics
 
Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)
 
Mangalore, Jun 3: The zonal convention of Praja Pragati Ranga was held at Don Bosco Hall here on Sunday May 3.
 
Inaugurating the convention by pouring water on a sapling, Kodihalli Chandrashekar, president of Prajapragati Ranga and state president of Rajya Raita Sangha said that there is need for an alternative choice in politics and Praja Pragati Ranga fulfills the need.

"After the divisional convention of party workers across the state, there will be a district-level convention to chalk out the plans for the future. This platform should be the voice of farmers, minorities, and all socially downtrodden segments of the society," he said.

"Though 70 percent of the country's population is made of farmers, and taxes are paid by the agricultural sector, their condition is such that they would consume poison. The issue of farmers’ suicides has never been debated in the assembly or in Lok Sabha," he said, and pointed out that people have been losing hopes on the legislature, judiciary, bureaucracy and even on the media. He said while first three estates are marred by corrupt people, media is dominated by capitalists.
 
He further said that earlier politicians meant to devote their life totally for the welfare of the nation, but now it is vice versa, with them swallowing the assets of the nation. This has disturbed the youth, he said, giving the example of an election for corporators in Bangalore which had registered only 40 percent voter turnout.

Coming down heavily on former CM Yeddyurappa, he said after his term in jail once, he is all set to go to the jail again, which will be followed by his three predecessors. "Half of the MLAs in the Karnataka are fit to be in jail, but have been elected to the assembly," he added.
 
He said that if BJP is 'naked', Congress is 'experimenting with gimmicks' to win the upcoming election. He concluded by saying that in a country like India the election commission of India itself should carry out the entire process of election like in other countries. The candidates should not be allowed to contact the voters directly as there has been illegal ways wooing the voters thereby making the voters corrupt too, he said.
 
Lolaksha, Praja Pragati Ranga convener in his keynote address said that Praja Pragati Ranga was a ray of hope for those who think differently and progressively. "At present, the power in the state is in the hands of influencial people and is centralized. People have been cheated in the name of democracy," he said, adding that the situation is such that some MLAs are not even aware of the basic laws or rules of the country. "In the name of Global Investors Meet, lacs of hectares of land is acquired," he lamented.
 
Elias Mohammed Thumbay, state president, PFI, presided. Akbar Ali, chief secretary, SDPI, DK district welcomed. Venkataswamy, president, Samata Sainika Dal, Abdul Mazid Kodlipet, state president, SDPI, Karnataka, R Mohan Raj, state president, DSS (Bhimavada) were the chief guests.