Davangere: With Eye on Polls, Rahul Gandhi Asks Partymen to Stay United
Davangere, Jun 3 (NDTV): Elections are due in Karnataka next year, but for political parties, it is never too early to start preparations. The Congress' Rahul Gandhi has spent the weekend in north Karnataka in a bid to rally the Congress troops and take on the ruling BJP which is facing troubles of its own.
And Gandhi did not miss the chance of raising the issue of corruption - a sensitive point for the BJP in the state - with several party leaders, including former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, facing graft charges.
"There is no other state more corrupt than the BJP-ruled Karnataka. At a time when half the state is reeling under drought, the ruling party's leaders are busy fighting among themselves," Gandhi said in Hubli. Erstwhile governments in Karnataka were pro-farmers, pro-Dalits, pro-poor and pro-people, but BJP government has divided the people and made them fight each other, Gandhi added.
His comments came on a day when a trial court in Bangalore convicted BJP lawmaker Y Sampangi in a bribery case and sentenced him to imprisonment for three years and six months.
In his meetings with district and block presidents of the Congress, problems were thrashed out - from issues with state leadership to the need to win back the Lingayat belt of north Karnataka from the BJP. And there was also a message to stay united.
"You should remain united and work hard to ensure that the people throw out the corrupt BJP government and bring our party back to power in the state. It is important to bury differences, if any, and brace up for the state elections next year," Gandhi said.
Admitting that the Lingayat belt has moved away from Congress, Belgaum district president Lakshmi Hebalkar said that Gandhi has promised to go to any village or place they call him.
"We spoke openly and brought the problems in the state Congress to Gandhi's attention," said Nagaraj Yadav, an office-bearer of the Congress party.
But the Congress has problems of its own. In a state it once ruled in now stands in a much weakened position. The former leader of the Opposition, Siddaramaiah, embarrassingly quit his post just ahead of Gandhi's visit, after feeling ignored by the Congress over selection of candidates for the legislative council. But he did make the trip to Davanagere to meet Gandhi.
"They invited me to attend that meeting that is why I came. The decision of my reconsidering my resignation was not raised. I am a Congressman, I will continue to be a Congressman," he said.
But overall, the turnout was enthusiastic and clearly Rahul Gandhi's visit was a welcome one - he could serve as a much-needed rallying point.
With the ruling BJP fighting division and corruption charges, it would seem like a good time for the Congress to cash in and fight for power once again. But it will not be plain sailing. A lack of strong state leadership means that national figures like Rahul Gandhi may have to play a much larger role.