Mangalore: BJP's defeat a lesson; Modi's visit a gain for Congress - Janardhan Poojary

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (NM)

Mangalore, May 8: “Bad administration in the state has resulted in a shameful defeat for the ruling Bharathiya Janata Party (BJP). This time, the Congress party which is blessed with an aboslute majority in the state, will face a similar fate if it fails to provide good governance," said senior Congress leader Janardhana Poojary in a press meet held at the Congress office soon after the elections results on Wednesday May 8.

“This is a cautious reminder to all the upcoming ministers and leaders of Congress. If you take responsibility lightly, the party will witness such a disgraceful defeat like that faced by the BJP leaders in the elections after five years of bad governance," Poojary further advised.

“Not only that, if the elected representatives of the Congress indulge in bad administration, I will myself travel across the state asking people not to vote for the Congress," he said stressing the importance of good governance. “With election results, the people of the state have sent a strong message to the politicians,” added Poojary.

Terming the visit of Sonia Gandhi to the state as “fruitful," Poojary said, “Despite ill-health, Sonia Gandhi visited the state twice. The atmosphere of saffronization and communalism was spread across the coastal region she had said and asked us to work for the removal of such anti-democracy elements in the region and work towards socialism,” he added.

Modi’s visit a gain for Congress

Calling the visit of Narendra Modi a gain to the Congress, Poojary took the opportunity to again mock the BJP’s star campaigner and projected PM candidate. “Our people are peace-loving. But Modi came and preached hatred and communalism; unnecessarily picked up the issue of cow slaughter and pink revolution thus intending to create division in the region. I am thankful to the people for aptly rewarding Modi," he mocked.

Ridiculing Narendra Modi as ‘Hitler’, Poojary said, “Modi does not deserve to be a Prime Ministerial candidate. Firstly, he needs to have control over his tongue. His perception of ‘Hindutva’ is wrong,” he said and added, “A Prime Ministerial candidate should be secular”.

“BJP should have learnt a serious lesson after the result of the urban body election. BJP did not do it. It’s not only a fall in the state, BJP does not have a strong leadership at the centre,” Poojary further opined.

Asked if the victory of the BJP at Karkala and Sullia belittled the Congress, Poojary said, “It’s a democratic country. Winning in all the constituencies should not happen. Strong opposition is a must for good governance. Otherwise, there could be an egoistic reign by the ruling party,” he said.

Shedding light on the election results in DK and Udupi districts, Poojary said, “It was not a simple victory of the Congress, but a victory with a great margin. Even Sullia, which was one of BJP’s dominant constituency faced a tough fight losing with a low margin. People of Dakshina Kannada have tremendously blessed the Congress party electing seven candidates from eight constituencies with a good majority”.

Commenting on the victory of U T Khader, he said, “Khader proved himself as a mass leader despite so many candidates against him. Udupi district too was pro-Congress,” he said. He complimented Halady Srinivas Shetty of Kundapur constituency for his record victory as an independent candidate. “We will humbly accept the victory,” he said.