Umesh Marpalli

Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Mar 29: "Can you repose faith on a government that it would be able to find out and decimate terrorists, at a time it has not been able to find a missing fishing boat? On the day the fishermen with their boat went missing, a navy ship had moved to Kochi from Mumbai. There is also information that this boat had suffered some damage. The visit of union defence minister, Nirmala Sitharaman and Shobha Karandlaje to the residences of missing fishermen has given rise to doubt in my mind. I urge them to tell people whether the fishing boat in question met with an accident with the said navy ship. If they are unable to place before the people what actually transpired that day, they should find out the missing fishermen," urged JD(S) - Congress coalition candidate for Udupi - Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha constituency, Pramod Madhwaraj.

He was addressing a joint block level meeting of Congress and JD(S) workers held at Brahmavar on Thursday March 28.

"When I was asked by chief minister, H D Kumaraswamy, to enter the fray as a candidate of the coalition, I promised him to accept his request subject to approval of Congress leaders. If I did not accept the offer, and if a candidate was fielded by JD(S) under its symbol, the Congress workers would have been devastated. I agreed to become a candidate to make sure that Congress party does not face any problems in future, for its survival, as otherwise party workers would have split into splinter groups. If I get elected, I will work as the servant of Congress and JD(S) activists. It is likely that in some constituencies there are differences between these two parties. But here, Congress candidate and JD(S) election symbol have merged together like milk and honey. You know how I used to work as your MLA. If I become victorious, I will be working honestly for the overall development of this constituency," he promised.

Pramod said that lot of grants can be got f rom the central government and he will bring funds from the centre to undertake development works all over the constituency. He said he had worked well as a legislator but faced debacle in the last election. "I am not hurt. After I got elected for the first time as MLA, I became parliamentary secretary for revenue department, then became minster of state and then cabinet minister. In the history of Karnataka, I was the only one to get three promotions in spite of being first time legislator," he pointed out.

Shobha banks on Yeddyurappa, Modi: "Shobha Karandlaje banks on Yeddyurappa to secure ticket but relies on Modi to get votes. People should decide whether they need an MP who works or the one who does not. The result in this constituency does not make or mar the prospects of someone becoming Prime Minister of the country. It is like taking away a bucket of water from the sea. This constituency needs a Lok Sabha members who can develop it and work hard to achieve it," he stated. 

Pramod noted that BJP leaders have been accusing him of being responsible for sand shortage in the district. "When I was the minister, there was court stay against sand extraction in coastal regulatory zone. I had then discussed the matter with law minister Jayachandra and government advocate, Ashok Devaraj. I also contacted Shobha Karandlaje over phone and asked the central government to file an affidavit. But she did not attend to this work. Our own officials filed an affidavit. I saw to it that the stay was vacated, and nine lac tonnes of sand could be extracted. We could extract only six lac tonnes out of nine lac tonnes. During my period, I saw to it that permits were issued to 165 people to extract sand in 28 blocks. I also made changes in rules and ensured that sand extracted in Udupi district was used only within this district. Raghupati Bhat, during the election, promised people to get them enough sand if he got elected. Now only 17,000 tonnes of sand against six lac tonnes during my period, has been extracted. As against 165 who got permits during my period, now only 59 are having it. During my period,d 28 blocks were identified for sand extraction but now sand is extracted in only seven blocks. Because of central government rules which says that sand cannot be removed in coastal regulatory zone, these problems have arisen. This rule should have been changed, and Shobha Karandlaje should have attended to it. She failed to do so. This is not  my failure, but of Shobha Karandlaje," he claimed.

Congress leaders, Ashok Kodavoor, M A Gafoor, Nityanand Shetty, Janardhana Thonse Rajesh Shetty Gopi K Naik Ibrahim Matapadi, JD(S)  assembly constituency president, Abdul Khader Kunjalu, state general secretary, Dillesh Shetty Bellmpalli, state vice president, Ashraf Padubidri, Udupi block vice president, Vasanth Shetty Kokkarne and various other leaders of both the parties were present.