From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Jan 12: The newly appointed Congress opposition leader in the Karnataka Legislative Council Motamma, at a separate news conference, urged former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) supremo H D Deve Gowda to extend support to her without staking claim for being recognised the main opposition party in the Upper House, if he is committed to social justice.
After assuming charge as the Leader of the Opposition in the Council, Motamma said she hoped Gowda would respond positively to her request.
A large number of party leaders such as B B Ningaiah, Rani Satish, Mallajamma, Bimba Raikar, former MP, and B R Neelakantappa, former MLA, congratulated her on the occasion.
Motamma, a former Member of the Congress Working Committee and former minister said that the former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy should also exert pressure on his father to support her. She added that such a gesture on their part would enhance the stature of JD(S) leaders among the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, backward classes and minorities.
The Congress leader, who would have to vacate her seat after a week when the Council would have its full complement with all the 25 persons, who were elected in the local area authorities constituencies take oath as members, however said that it was left to the discretion of the JD (S) supremo.
"I don’t think I should personally meet Deve Gowda or Kumaraswamy to make my request. Let them decide,’’ she said.
Launching a scathing attack on the BJP rule, she said that her party would also support the cause of the farmers, who were losing their land for the NICE company. Asked in what way she could function effectively in her short tenure of a week, she said that she would continue her struggle against anti-people, anti-farmer and anti-Dalit policies of the BJP government, irrespective of whether she was in position or not.
Motamma criticised the government for constructing separate colonies for Dalits in the flood-affected districts of north Karnataka region and urged the government to drop such a heinous practice. She also alleged that fake job cards were being issued for providing work under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.