Karnataka polls: Rahul hits out at BJP

Supporters come in large numbers from all over the Mysore, raising slogans and holding Congress flags

The Congress party's campaign in Mysore got a shot in the arm with All India Congress Committee vice-president Rahul Gandhi said at a public rally here today.

Congress workers and supporters had come in large numbers from all over the district, raising slogans and holding Congress flags.

Addressing the huge gathering at the Maharaja's College Grounds as part of his second round of campaign for his party in the state, Gandhi hit out against the BJP government and appealed to the people in the state to bring back the Congress to power if they desired the earlier fame that the state had gained is to be restored. He said, voters had the power to bring to power the party they prefer and it was time they brought back the Congress to power so that the earlier status of Karnataka was restored.

Strongly attacking the five-year rule of the BJP in the state, the Congress leader reiterated that they had pocketed public money during its five-year rule. But if the Congress came to power, he said, people's money would remain with them. "Your money went into their pockets; but the Congress will see that your money will remain in your hands," he said.

In his brief address, hardly lasting about 10 minutes, Gandhi said the Congress had interests of all sections of the society in mind unlike the BJP government which ignored the poor and the weaker sections. Here, he cited the direct benefit transfer that was being introduced across the country to check corruption and ensure that the subsidy amount directly reached people. It was the Congress alone which can ensure good governance with its programmes and policies.

Opposition party leader Siddaramaiah had earlier said, Karnataka was witnessing a pro-Congress wave sweeping across the state as people were fed up with the corrupt BJP government. "People are aspiring for a change, fed up with the BJP government in Karnataka. An anti-incumbent wave is blowing against the BJP. People now want a stable government with honest leadership that can serve all sections of the society," he added.

Citing BJP's "anti-women stance", the Congress leader said an MP of that party went against the Centre's decision to enhance representation to women to 50 per cent in local panchayats to the Supreme Court. However, the court rejected his contention and upheld the 73-74 amendments to the Constitution.

"The BJP has failed on all fronts in the state. It stood first in corruption. It has ignored the welfare of the people, and engaged in corrupt practices. Many of its ministers and leaders have gone to jail on corruption charges. B S Yeddyurappa, Sadananda Gowda and Jagadish Shettar are responsible for bringing a bad name to the state," he charged.

Neither the Karnataka Janata Party nor Janata Dal (S) can come to power in the state. JD(S) can hardly win 20 seats, Siddaramaiah predicted.

KPCC President K P Parameswar said, the people had decided to put an end to the five-year-long exploitation by the BJP. They were aspiring for a change. If Congress came to power it would implement the promises made in its manifesto including development of infrastructure.