Congress will come to power in Karnataka: Priyank Kharge
Chittapur (PTI): Exuding confidence that the Congress is going to form the next government in Karnataka, which is going to polls on May 10, Chittapur MLA and former minister Priyank Kharge says the aim is to bring back the glory of the state with respect to investments and generating employment opportunities.
According to him, the people of Karnataka have already evaluated the performance of the ruling BJP government.
"Contractors association, a lot of BJP MLAs and Ministers themselves have evaluated it. This (BJP government in Karnataka) is called a 40 per cent commission' by them and not by the Congress. Religious heads have given performance report card. And the Congress is just merely echoing the sentiments of the people," Priyank Kharge said.
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"The Congress will come to power. AICC President (Mallikarjun Kharge) and our leader Rahul Gandhi have very clearly told us that we need to get 150 seats. And we will get 150 seats," Priyank Kharge told PTI in response to a question on the Congress' prospects in the ensuing polls.
Asked how important the Assembly elections were ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Priyank Kharge said Karnataka is a very important state not only for the Congress but for the country as well.
"We are the economic powerhouse as well. One of the few states that contributes maximum to the Central government and we cannot allow the system to rot over here. It will have a great impact not only for Karnataka but also for the nation itself. We cannot have a UP (Uttar Pradesh) model. The Karnataka model is the best model available," he asserted.
"It is very very important --preservation of the Constitution, we are not ready to be the laboratory of Hindutva, which is a regressive ideology. We want to get that glory of Karnataka back with respect to investments, generating employment opportunities. We are known as a progressive state and the idea is to remain a progressive state," he added.
Asked if the forthcoming Assembly polls were also a prestige battle for the grand old party with his father M Mallikarjun Kharge, who hails from Kalaburagi district, at its helm as the national President, Priyank Kharge noted: "I don't think this is a battle of prestige. It is a battle to save the idea of India. This is the battle to save the Constitution and this is a battle to save Karnataka from complete deterioration."
According to him, it is not a question of a battle between Modi (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) and Mallikarjun Kharge. It is a battle between two ideologies- the ideology that can destroy India and the ideology that can build India-, he said.
Priyank Kharge, who is seeking a third consecutive term from Chittapur is banking on the development works carried out by him in the constituency to win the elections even as he sharply targeted his opponent BJP's Manikanth Rathod, accusing the saffron party of insulting the people of Chittapur by nominating a "history-sheeter."
"I am confident that the work I have done in (Chittapur segment) has been appreciated by the people. We stand for the development of the constituency. I am sure that they will elect me because the BJP candidate (contesting in Chittapur) has 40 cases against him. And that is the candidate the BJP thinks is the best possible choice for the people of Chittapur. They have insulted the people (of Chittapur) by nominating such a candidate. We have always done only development politics and not divisive politics," he added.
On the BJP targeting the Congress over dynasty politics, Priyank Kharge hit back at BJP and said "We are ready to debate. Let us talk about it," as he sought to know whether the BJP was ready for it.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
