Karnataka: Cong will win 20 seats in Parliamentary elections, says KPCC president
Mangaluru: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee working president and Chief Whip of Congress in the Legislative Council Saleem Ahmed has expressed confidence in the party winning a minimum of 20 seats in Karnataka during the 2024 Parliamentary Election.
He was speaking to reporters at the District Congress Committee (DCC) office in Mangaluru after the district executive committee meeting today.
Out of the 28 parliamentary constituencies in Karnataka, the 2019 general elections saw BJP clinching victory in 25, with Congress and JD(S) capturing one seat each while an independent candidate secured the remaining one. Congress which won a clear majority in the recent assembly election, is now confident of repeating the success in the parliament election.
Saleem Ahmed highlighted the party's proactive stance in preparation for the Parliament elections scheduled next year, as well as the upcoming Taluk Panchayat and Zilla Panchayat elections.
"We are working on strategies and modalities," Ahmed stated confidently.
"Our party organization has been fortified. The success of our guarantees and the accomplishments achieved over the last three months have resonated with the public. We have kept our promises and the people are content with the Congress. We are confident that the people's support will translate into victory, securing a minimum of 20 seats in the state. I.N.D.I.A alliance will come to power in the center with Rahul Gandhi as Prime Minister," he said.
As part of their electoral strategy, the Congress party will appoint a Minister and a senior leader as observers for each parliamentary constituency soon. They will engage in discussions within their respective constituencies to finalize the list of aspiring candidates. Ahmed stressed the importance of early candidate selection, aiming to have names confirmed at least six months ahead of the election.
He stressed that the Congress will embark on a mission to educate the people on why they should back the Congress over the BJP.
"The BJP made numerous pledges before attaining power. Have they fulfilled these promises? Narendra Modi pledged to repatriate black money and deposit INR 15 lakh in each account. He vowed to create 2 crore jobs annually. Have these commitments been met? We will unveil these unmet assurances. The people deserve answers as to why they should vote for the BJP while the promises have not been fulfilled in the last nine years. Over the next six months, we will expose the BJP's true colors to the public. People want change and they will vote for Congress," he asserted.
Ahmed also affirmed that Congress would proudly present their achievements in state governance and their guarantee schemes. "We've consistently honored our commitments. The party delivered on the assurances made during the 2013 elections, and we are doing the same this time. Our three guarantees are already underway, with the fourth to be inaugurated in Mysuru on Aug 30.
The 'Yuva Nidhi' scheme will roll out by December. We are addressing technical glitches in these guarantees and ensuring no deserving beneficiary is left behind. All our other promises made during the election will be fulfilled in phases," he stated.
Responding to queries about the rumors about leaders from other political parties expressing interest in joining Congress, Saleem said that the inclusion of MLAs and senior leaders into the Congress fold rests solely with the party's high command.
"We have 135 MLAs. We will not be involved in any 'operations' to acquire members from other parties. If any leader or MLAs resonate with the Congress' achievements and are aligned with the party's core principles, the final verdict on their inclusion would be determined by the party's high command," he asserted.
