Karnataka: Congress warms up for BBMP poll, puts MLAs in charge

Bengaluru: Taking no chances in their effort to win the  polls to BBMP, the top brass of KPCC plan to assign at least one minister and two MLAs to each Assembly segment in Bengaluru to drum up support for the ruling party.

KPCC president Dr G. Parameshwar chaired a meeting with ministers from the city to deliberate about the party's strategy for the elections. Though a few ministers demanded that the state government ought to explore the possibility of postponing polls, others asserted that the party could wrest power only if certain leaders stop meddling in strongholds of other leaders.  

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior leader in KPCC disclosed that one section continued to maintain that they would ensure that BBMP elections are postponed indefinitely. With such assurances even after the state government assured the Supreme Court that polls would be held within three months, these leaders seem to have lulled the cadre into complacency and disarray.

“As a result of this misunderstanding and not taking any concrete steps even after the apex court's verdict on elections, the party machinery is in deep slumber and it will be a gigantic task to energise the machinery at very short notice. One can even imagine the plight of the party where even aspirants are not thronging any leader’s house. This is clear indication that leaders in the party have failed miserably in conveying the message to workers," the leader alleged.

The leader added that keeping in view these developments, Dr Parameshwar recommended that at least one minister and two MLAs be assigned one Assembly constituency to drum up support for the party. “The main intention  is to ensure that resources can be utilised properly and also to ensure better co-ordination among middle and lower rung workers," the leader explained.

‘My Bhagyas will make state hunger-free’

Lambasting leaders of the Opposition  for criticising the state government about its populist schemes, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said these schemes have helped reduce malnutrition to a large extent in north Karnataka.

Speaking after inaugurating a farm pond under ‘Krishi Bhagya’ scheme at Sanshi village in Dharwad district on Tuesday, he said the state government was trying to turn Karnataka into a hunger-free state through these schemes.

“Only those who are hungry know the importance of ‘Anna bhagya’ scheme launched by the government. This rice scheme has helped around 1.07 crore poor families, most of whom are labourers and are hard working people. ‘Krishi Bhagya’, which is being implemented in more than 100 taluks, will help poor farmers protect their crop during failure of the monsoon, and also stop their migration to cities in search of jobs. The state government has been supplying seven lakh litres of milk to school children every day under ‘Ksheera Bhagya,’ and thus helped reduce the problem of malnutrition considerably in north Karnataka region,” he added.

He denied that these schemes would make the beneficiaries lazy. Mr Siddaramaiah said farm ponds would improve agricultural production and thus enhance the income of farmers. Maintaining that Karnataka was one among few states with large tracts of raid-fed agricultural land, he said construction of farm ponds would help farmers tide over scanty rainfall, and thus ensure that crops do not fail. Urging farmers to utilise machinery in agriculture, he said the facility would be provided in 183 hoblis with plans to set up these centres in all hoblis with the help of NGOs.