BBMP poll results no referendum on govt: KPCC president Dr G Parameshwar

He maintained that there is no threat to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s leadership in the state and reiterated that veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge has not given any definite statement about his return to state politics. Excerpt from the interview.

We have made preliminary preparations for the polls, in one or two days, our draft manifesto will be ready. For each Assembly constituency we have constituted a panel comprising a minister, two MLAs, MPs and PCC office bearers.

After visiting Assembly constituencies and consulting local leaders, the panel will send the names to the KPCC before August 3. Besides, KPCC will also get names from the District Congress Committee and MLAs. Our scrutiny committee will finalise the candidates. This committee comprises five ministers, MLAs, MLCs, defeated candidates, MPs and PCC office bearers.

The party has a set of rules to select candidates, they should not have a criminal background and should be loyal workers. We also have to look at winnability but to achieve this goal, the party will not deviate from its rules. From August 6, we will start issuing B-forms to candidates.

The KPCC is working in this direction. Our manifesto will have a vision for Bengaluru’s development. We will come up with new issues in the manifesto. Since the manifesto is in the draft stage, we will not reveal it at this point of time.

To resolve infrastructure problems, we will provide solutions in our manifesto. Within the framework of BBMP governance, party will give priority to infrastructure and this will be incorporated in the manifesto to address problems related to infrastructure, power, drinking water and roads.

When the BBMP council was functional, we had limited powers to intervene in the actions of the elected body. Our corporators raised their voice against the maladministration in BBMP.

In the last two years, the government has released funds to BBMP, but they have not been utilised properly. In five years, the BBMP budgets are worth Rs 45,000 crore but only Rs 17,000 crore has been utilised.

The BBMP elections are restricted to Bengaluru city, it does not reflect the state view. We cannot consider BBMP election a referendum on the government. Yes, it is an an important election for the government as well as party. I can partially agree that the election results reflect the city voters’ mindset on the government’s performance. I am confident that the results will be in our favor. We have found a solution to the garbage problem. After appointing an administrator, we have given priority to resolve the garbage menace.

We are aware that the opposition will raise issues against our government including farmer suicides. But we will counter them, the Congress government has released funds to BBMP. We will highlight the maladministration in BBMP during BJP rule. The BJP did not implement infrastructure projects in the last five years. Not a single flyover or grade separator has been constructed in five years.

We had no intention to postpone elections, but BBMP governance was derailed during BJP rule, to set right these problems, we have decided to trifurcate BBMP for better governance as everyone knows that ‘Small is beautiful.’ To prevent corruption and ensure better administration we had decided to divide BBMP but not to postpone elections. By postponing the elections by six months, Congress will not gain anything. We will explain this to people during our campaign.

Of the 198 farmers who committed suicide, the farmers directly dependent upon agricultural income are 65 percent and the remaining 35 percent farmers committed suicide due to different reasons. The majority of farmers have committed suicide due to debt, the government should take corrective steps to prevent these suicides. Already the government has given instructions to co-operative banks not to recover loans. A scientific study is needed to prevent suicides.

Mr Rahul Gandhi told us to formulate long and short term plans to prevent suicides. The Chief Minister explained to him government measures to tackle the issue. I told him about the party’s work to prevent suicides. Mr Gandhi told us to find specific solutions to prevent the suicides and asked to us to discuss this issue in detail both in government and party forums. He will visit Karnataka after the BBMP polls for two days and asked us fix the dates. He will visit deceased farmers’ houses.

Differences of opinion are there in all parties. It has happened in the past too. I can say it’s all superficial, there is no discontent against the leadership, there is no threat to Mr Siddaramaiah’s leadership. I am unaware of Mr Kharge’s statement, I came to know of it through the media. These developments come under the ambit of the high command, I will not say that Mr Kharge has spoken about his return to state politics.