The Hindu
MANGALORE, May 1: The former president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee B. Janardhan Poojary on Wednesday threatened to “teach a lesson” to Congressmen who work against the party interests in the elections in the district.
Poojary called the Congress candidates who were contesting as rebels “backstabbers” and said the party would fight against them. Poojary was of the opinion that the ticket aspirants had all the rights to fight their case till the party high command chooses a candidate for a constituency. Once that is done, all should toe the party line. Those who fail to withdraw from the field on being told so would have to be expelled from the party for six years, he said. “I would have sent many home if I were the KPCC president,” he said.
Poojary said those who had served the party would be rehabilitated in different capacities if the party came to power. He pointed out that there were 30,000 committees and many boards and corporations to which they could be appointed. Some could be made MLCs, he said.
Rehabilitation
When asked whether it was all right for a person in public life to openly speak of using the boards and corporation posts to rehabilitate party workers, he said there were talented persons in the party who deserved to be accommodated in such bodies. When pointed out that his party could not fill the posts of two nominated MLCs when it was in power, he said it was “mistake”.
Poojary said many partymen had worked for 30 to 40 years without holding any post. On the other hand, those who had made no contribution for the party were getting recognition. This was painful for him.
On the criticism that the party had not fielded a Hindu from three city-based constituencies, he said minorities deserved certain representation. He wondered why the BJP had not fielded even a single member of the minority communities in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts.
Poojary said the Janata Dal in the district was trying to corrupt the minds of Congressmen by offering ticket to aspirants who had failed to get the party ticket.
Prediction
Poojary predicted that the campaign by the Gujaraj Chief Minister Narendra Modi would boomerang on the Bharatiya Janata Party. He said people of Karnataka were peace loving and did not like the Gujarat model of governance. Former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa would do better if he were to campaign on his own instead of seeking to influence the voters through a campaign by Modi.