Bengaluru: Ridiculing the opposition BJP and the Janata Dal (S)’ claims about winning a large number of seats in the next Assembly polls due in 2018, Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah on Wednesday quipped that both parties were daydreaming rather than focusing on sorting out their internal differences.
Speaking at the 132nd Congress party foundation day here, Mr Siddaramaiah said, "Look at these parties claims on how many seats they would win...they are making absolutely ridiculous claims. One (BJP) claims that they will win 150 seats, while JD(S) says that they will win no less than 120 seats..who should we believe?"
He further ridiculed the opposiiton saying they need to sort out their internal differences rather than dreaming about their party coming to power after 17 months. "On the contrary, the Congress party in the state is giving clean and efficient administration. People cutting across the social strata are happy. This message needs to be conveyed to our electorate. For this, party workers need to start working from now itself," he said.
He added that the BJP has handed a golden opportunity to Congress party workers who have to work hard to convey the ill effects of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi's ill-conceived demonentisation scheme to people.
"They (BJP) have handed us an opportunity, which any party would have wanted. Let us gear up for the challenge and spread awareness about the problems faced by people across the strata to gain a political lead over the BJP," he said.
He appealed to party workers to expose the BJP and its leaders’ duplicity over celebrating Tipu Jayanti too. "Then chief minister, Jagadish Shettar writes the foreword for a book related to Tipu and hails him while Mr B.S. Yeddyurappa in his earlier avatar as KJP chief, dons Tipu’s attire and wields a sword. This must be conveyed to every corner of the state in order to expose the duplicity of these leaders who are now opposing Tipu Jayanti," he said.
Dr G Parameshwar to ministers: time you took part in party events
The Congress party at the national level might have celebrated its 133rd foundation day with zeal and fervour but in Karnataka, the biggest state in its kitty, senor ministers do not care much about foundation day. This grouse was expressed by Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dr G. Parameshwar who did not mince words or hide his anger on Wednesday. Delivering his presidential remarks at a programme to commemorate the foundation day of the party here, a visibly upset KPCC chief while pointing at the vacant chairs on the dais, said, "When you (ministers) want posts, you lobby hard claiming that you have worked for the party, but after coming to power you conveniently forget the party. For no reason, you remain absent from party events." He further asserted that he had personally invited all ministers during the cabinet meeting that was held on Tuesday evening in the presence of Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, despite this, many ministers were absent today. Indirectly referring to AICC vice-president, Rahul Gandhi's event last month, Dr Parameshwar observed that the ministers are taking party programmes lightly for the last couple of days. "This kind of indiscipline will not be tolerated any further," he affirmed.
