From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Nov 29: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Chief D K Shivakumar on Monday said the political situation is very favourable to the Congress and claimed that the party would more seats in the ensuing Legislative Council polls in Karnataka.
Speaking to reporters in Belagavi, he said the people desire a change and gram panchayat members, who are the voters in the elections to the 25 seats, remember the contribution of the Congress party.
The grants to the gram panchayats was increased from Rs 1 lakh fixed during the J H Patel regime had been raised to Rs 5 crore under the Congress government headed by S M Krishna. The Manmohan Singh regime under Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s leadership enabled the local bodies to spend upto Rs 2 crore annually under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Assurance scheme.
The State Congress Chief said it was Rajiv Gandhi, who took the historic decision of making 50% reservation for women.
“The double engine BJP governments in Delhi and in the State has not helped the people and the people remember the contribution of the Congress governments,’’ he said expressing confidence that the members of the local bodies would vote in favour of Congress candidates.
To a question from reporters on whether the elections to the 25 seats in the Upper House is an indication for the coming Assembly polls, he said the ruling party leaders have themselves said it is not.
“The BJP leaders have claimed that Congress is a sinking ship,’’ he said wondering why former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa sought support of JD(S) if he was so confident of BJP. ``This shows the hollowness of BJP’s strength and if BJP is so strong, why Yediyurappa had to appeal for JD(S) support?,’’ he asked.
When asked for his reaction to JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy’s statement that his party could not do anything if Congress has not approached for support, Shivakumar said it is left to each party to face the elections based on their own strength.
On the statement of Housing Minister V Somanna’s threat to release documents pertaining to the assets of Congress candidate KGF Babu, who has declared the highest assets in his electoral affidavit, the KPCC Chief said the BJP leader was welcome to release the documents. Different persons have different kinds of business and dealings. Let the documents be released first, he said.
Shivakumar said Congress party was not worried by BJP leader Ramesh Jarkiholi’s assertion that the Congress candidate would be defeated in Belagavi, the KPCC Chief said if BJP was really a disciplined party and its leaders have self-respect why it could not prevent Ramesh Jarakiholi’s own brother Lakhan Jarkiholi contesting as independent against BJP candidate.
He also attacked Ramesh Jarkiholi for his abusive statement against Congress MLA Lakshmi Hebbalkar and said the statement shows the BJP leader’s culture. If BJP is really a disciplined party and respects women, let BJP leaders like Yediyurappa and Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai or State BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel answer and show what kind of respect they show to women.
Shivakumar alleged that voters in Belagavi district are threatened by BJP leaders and their supporters. The Congress party has taken up the issue and lodged a complaint with the electoral authorities. The party demands that bogus voting by securing voters identity cards and misuse of power must be prevented.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA N A Haris, former MLC Ivan D’Souza and Belagavi district Congress President Raju Seth and others submitted a memorandum to Belgavi District Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Venkatesh against the electoral malpractices planned by BJP candidate and BJP supported independent candidate Lakhan Jarkiholi along with his brothers Ramesh and Balachandra Jarkiholi and demanded immediate corrective measures to put an end to the malpractices.