Cong appoints campaign committee

With ten days to go for the first phase of polling in the state, Congress today appointed a 40-member campaign committee in Karnataka under the chairmanship of former minister G Parameshwara.

Among others, Parameshwara will be assisted by former opposition leader M Mallikarjun Kharge, who is contesting from Gulbarga (SC) Lok Sabha constituency, and former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

State unit working president D K Shivakumar released the list of members of the campaign committee at a press conference here. ‘The UPA government’s achievements and the failures of the BJP government in Karnataka will be highlighted before the electorate,’ Parameshwara said.

Criticising the state government, he alleged that of the total plan allocation of about Rs 26,000 crore earmarked for 2008-09, the Yeddyurappa government has released only Rs 11,000 crore as on January 9, thus failing to release funds for plan programmes.