From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Oct 31: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Dr G Parameshwara accused the Centre for its `step-motherly attitude’ towards non-BJP ruled States.

Addressing a meeting for reviewing the ‘Mane Manege Congress’ campaign undertaken by the Gundlupet Block Congress Committee, the KPCC Chief lamented that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and senior Congress leader Mallikarjuna Kharge, who is also the former Union Railway Minister, were ignored at the inauguration of the recent Bidar-Kalaburagi rail line project by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Pointing out that the State Government had shared 50 % of the cost for the railway project, he felt the Chief Minister and Kharge should have been informed and requested to participate in the programme well in time and not at the last minute. Ignoring the Chief Minister and informing him at the last minute as also ignoring the Congress party’s floor leader in the Lok Sabha was improper and in bad taste, he said.

“This type of attitude was against the federal structure of the Constitution,’’ he said asking the BJP-ruled Centre to bear in mind that the Chief Minister represents the six and half crore Kannadigas.

“I hope the Parivarthana Rally being organised by BJP in the State would bring about transformation in the attitudes of the party,’’ he said.

AICC General Secretary and State party in-charge Venugopal, Minister Geetha Mahadeva Prasad and Nanjangud Congress MLA Kalale Keshavamurthy and other local party leaders participated in the review meeting.

Dr Parameshwara expressed confidence that the Congress party will emerge victorious not only in Gundlupet assembly constituency but return to power in the State with a comfortable majority in the ensuing assembly elections in the State.

The KPCC Chief said the Chief Minister had inducted Ms Geetha Mahadeva Prasad in the Cabinet in accordance with his promise to the electorate during the by-election caused by the demise of her husband Dr Mahadeva Prasad, former minister. He was happy to note that Ms Prasad was working for the development of the constituency and the entire district.

The ongoing ‘Mane Manege Congress’ or door-to-door campaign being undertaken by the party all over the State has helped in enabling nearly 6.5 lakh party workers to enlighten the people on the programmes and achievements of the State Government, he said and claimed that booth level committees have been formed in all the 224 assembly constituencies in the State.