Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network- Mangaluru (VP)

Mangaluru, May 18: KPCC working president Manjunath Bhandary and minister Madhu Bangarappa introduced Ayannur Manjunath, Congress candidate for graduates constituency and K K Manjunath, Congress candidate from the teachers’ constituency.

Addressing the media on Saturday, May 18, Manjunath Bhandary said, "The elections are going on in teachers and graduates constituency and before candidates would participate individually. But this time, the party has taken the decision of bringing all ministers from all levels together and ensure that the Congress party wins. Altogether, there are nearly 84,000 graduate voters and 24,000 teachers and this is the first time when such a huge population is voting for graduates' and teachers' constituency. Our candidates are in the field from past one year visiting multiple places in the district. We also had discussion at every block office and every party members have been assigned work and are properly instructed to do well in this election.

"I know Ayyanur Manjunath from a long time. He has been into many organisations in the past and believes in taking everyone together. K K Manjunath is also a teacher and has participated in the elections last time as an independent candidate but lost by just a few votes. I request the voters to make sure you vote and support the Congress party,” he said.

Minister Madhu Bangarappa, said, "The ok Sabha elections have been successfully and the environment is good for Congress in Mangaluru, Udupi and Chikkamagaluru. We are sensing the changes and there is a huge chance that the Congress party will win Lok Sabha elections across coasta Karnataka. Manjunath Bhandary has helped us a lot. There are 6 seats in total and the chief minister and deputy chief minister has instructed us to ensure that we win. Last time, I was with the JD(S) party but today the whole scenario has changed. We sense a huge change happening in Dakshina Kannada regarding the Lok Sabha elections."

Ayannur Manjunath, Congress candidate for graduates constituency said, "We get only 12 days and our constituency is big and reaching everywhere becomes problematic. Several colleges have holiday so eventually we get only 3 days and in such difficult times we had to face the elections and our party has helped us. If we win at the central level, then it will boost our work. I am active member of the Association of Labours and Workers and I have been with labourers even after becoming minister. The NPS and OPS problem is increasing and we should ensure stopping it. I stood against my own government for workers and some people lost their life. We ensured that justice was given to them. During the tenure of Basavaraj Bommai, he brought Apple company into Karnataka but they made workers work overtime without paying them more. When people died, I requested Basavaraj Bommai to take action but he did not, but when his dog died it got all sacrificial. The 7th pay commission is pending and we will ensure that labourers get 8 hours to work, 8 hours to sleep and rest 8 hours for socialization. Lacs of womens have benefited from free bus and it is not just uneducated women who have benefited from this, but also those ladies who are educated and working."

KK Manjunath said, "Everyone works for food and so does the teachers. The BJP did not increase the salary of teachers but in 2018 chief minister Siddaramaiah increased the salary upto 30%. Teachers work for 60 years and at the end of their career, they get pension and that is not free money. It is their hard earned money and the people should ask who were those who stopped their pension. When Kumarswamy was chief minister and Yedurappa was deputy chief minister, they removed the old pension scheme and fooled people that the new pension scheme is beneficial for them. But today they are gambling with the money of pension and they have invested it into the stock market. In 2016, people were getting pension, but today many retired teachers are forced to work as labourers. I have worked as a teacher for 17 years and I am aware about the problems that students and teachers face. We will ensure it is solved."

Harish Kumar, Abhayachandra Jain, Shakuntala Shetty, J R Lobo, Sadashiv Ullal, Mamatha Gatty, Kodijal Ibrahim and others were present.