K'taka BJP leaders running away from toll gate issue: UT Khader
Mangaluru, Nov 2: Congress deputy leader in the Karnataka assembly U T Khader on Wednesday alleged that BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel and other saffron party MLAs in Dakshina Kannada district are running away from the people's protest against the toll gate at Surathkal here.
Addressing reporters, he said Kateel, who is also the Dakshina Kannada MP, is trying to put the blame on Congress for the toll gate which was set up during UPA rule, while trying to hide the fact that there was no toll gate at nearby Hejamady at the time.
He said people are protesting against the existence of two toll gates within a distance of 10 km.
Kateel has been assuring people that the Surathkal toll plaza will be removed every now and then, which has not yet been fulfilled, Khader said.
The local MP and MLAs of the ruling party should urgently take up the matter with the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and resolve the issue, he said.
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Integrity of electoral process severely compromised, Cong to soon launch movement: CWC
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress Working Committee met here on Friday and adopted a resolution alleging the integrity of the entire electoral process was being severely compromised against which the party would soon launch a movement.
In the resolution of the top body of the Congress, the party said free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that was being called into "serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission".
The CWC, which met amid the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, said the session has been a washout so far because of the Narendra Modi government's "stubborn refusal" to have an immediate discussion on three pressing national issues -- "the recent revelations regarding corruption by a business group, and the violence in Manipur and Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal".
Asked why the Congress Working Committee (CWC) resolution does not name the business group, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, "The answer is the Adani group".
"The CWC believes the integrity of the entire electoral process is being severely compromised. Free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that is being called into serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission.
"Increasing sections of society are becoming frustrated and deeply apprehensive. The Congress will take these up these public concerns as a national movement," the resolution stated.
Addressing a joint press conference along with Ramesh and Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, party general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal said the party discussed the political situation in the country for four-and-half hours and adopted the resolution.
He said the CWC has decided to constitute internal committees to look into electoral performance and organisational matters.
About the Assembly polls results in Maharashtra, Venugopal said the electoral outcome in the state was "beyond normal understanding and it appears to be a clear case of targeted manipulation".
