Give us funds to counter Modi wave: Congress leaders

Bangalore: In a bid to counter Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi's growing acceptance in some urban pockets of the state, several leaders from the Mysore division of the Congress party on Sunday appealed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to ensure smooth flow of funds in urban areas in order to take up development projects ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

These leaders also urged the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee(KPCC) president, Dr G. Parameshwar to come out with a policy on re-entry of leaders at the local level, which was duly accepted by him.

The KPCC chief asserted that the KPCC would intervene only in the case of re-entry of former ministers, former MLA sand former MLCs into the party fold, while the decision on others can be taken at the local level after consultation.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior leader in the KPCC said, "Several leaders from urban areas cautioned the CM that fund flow in urban areas has shrunk in the last couple of months, if this isn't addressed then it would lead to disastrous consequences. As of now, the urban  electorate appears to be disenchanted with the party. So, the CM must take corrective steps by releasing and launching several development projects in urban areas."

The source claimed that this demand came from leaders of Dakshin Kannada, Chikmagalur and Udupi districts which are considered to be BJP strongholds.

"Apart from this, leaders from rural areas in 12  Parliament segments demanded that the Chief Minister should  address  issues related to release of funds for various pension schemes, resolve the confusion over APL and BPL ration cardholders and also to take necessary steps to initiate the process for identifying beneficiaries, so that we can keep the rural electorate’s hopes alive till the elections are over. Otherwise, the BJP will  use it to its advantage when the elections approach claiming that their regime had commenced the process of distributing houses to the poor but the Congress  stalled it," the source said.

The CM took the suggestions positively and assured the leaders that he would do his best to address the grievances.