RaGa gives Siddu government high marks; says party will not entertain outsiders
- Rahul addressed nearly 1,500 Congress leaders and workers at the Jnanajyothi auditorium in the City
- MPs, legislators, ministers, KPCC office bearers, Zilla Panchayat chiefs, block, taluk and district office bearers were present
- Rahul said that tickets will be given to only performers - no outsiders will be entertained
- Gives a thumbs up to the Siddaramaiah led government; asks leaders to publicise government work effectively
FollowCongress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Monday gave full marks to the Congress run government in Karnataka, and credited “zero” marks to the Narendra Modi run government at the Centre.
Rahul’s praises comes as a major boost to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who shoulders the burden of bringing the Congress back to power in Karnataka in the next Assembly elections. Rahul who addressed the party’s general body meeting comprising of 1,500 members, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, rolled out a road map for the Congress to take on the BJP in Karnataka.
This was Rahul’s first visit to the State after he appointed a new team headed by AICC general secretary K C Venugopal and gave an extension to G Parameshwara to head the State unit of the party.
Showing renewed vigour, partymen welcomed their leader with enthusiasm and gaiety. Much to their delight Rahul not only praised the Siddaramaiah led government, he also made a couple of vital announcements.
Rahul said that only “performers” who are in touch with the people and the grassroots would be given the ticket. While no outsiders would be welcomed, the party would also not entertain the “helicopter system” while distributing tickets. “Only those workers and leaders who have stood by the people will be given the ticket,” he said, adding that there have been instances when non-performers have been given tickets in the last minute.
Rahul said that the Congress government had stood by the farmers of the State. However, the same couldn’t be said for the farming community in other States. He said that the Modi government had failed on both the employment and the farmer front. Conceding that Karnataka had not done a good job at publicising its programmes and initiatives, Rahul gave a call to the leaders to take up the exercise seriously.
“Every State will say that the UPA government had stood by the farmers. In this regard, Karnataka has done a good job. Venugopal (AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka) has said that Karnataka’s performance has been very good, but unfortunately the party had not done a good job publicising the same. However I told him that the government shouldn’t be spending the taxpayer’s money on publicity. All ministers and leaders should talk about the work being done. Go to the people and tell them what the Chief Minister has done. Go unitedly and bring the party back to power,” he said.
Rahul said that the Congress stood a good chance in Karnataka, as the BJP was only used to making “hollow” promises.
Venugopal said that the Karnataka government had fulfilled 95 per cent of the promises it had made to the people of the State. “We have given a good product - but the product needs to be promoted. Compared to any other State, the differences are fewer in Karnataka,” he added.
