LS polls: Cong hopeful of winning in coastal K'taka region, says Shivakumar

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D K Shivakumar on Saturday said there are chances of his party winning this time in the coastal belt in the forthcoming Parliamentary elections.

Addressing reporters, Shivakumar, who is here to participate in the state-level party convention of workers ahead of the coming Lok Sabha polls, said there is potential for change in politics, and there are visible changes in the attitude of people in the coastal areas.

"We are holding the state-level convention this time in Mangaluru as we perceive chances of winning from this region," Shivakumar, who is the Deputy Chief Minister of the state, said.

He said that the issues of unemployment and business stagnation in coastal Karnataka will be addressed by the ruling Congress.

Shivakumar said the BJP had failed to take up development works in the region though they have been representing the Dakshina Kannada constituency for a long period. Congress has plans to introduce innovative ideas and initiatives to stimulate economic growth and job creation in the coastal region, he added.

On the controversy over the removal of a teacher from her post at St Gerosa school in the city, he said appropriate legal action will be taken as per law. He defended the allocation of funds to minority communities, stating it as a necessary step towards equitable development.

The senior Congress leader said the candidate for Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha constituency will be announced after obtaining the results of an internal party survey.