Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (DV/KK)
Mangalore, Apr 7: The district Congress on Monday April 7 said that the response for AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi's rally at Nehru Maidan here on April 4 was more than what the party had expected.
Addressing a press meet at the Congress office here, Ibrahim Kodijal, the interim president of the district Congress said, "People from all the eight Assembly constituencies of the district had gathered for Rahul Gandhi’s rally at Nehru Maidan on Friday April 4. The response was overwhelming."
He further said, "The BJP is spreading lies and misleading people; but this is not good for them. Our Lok Sabha candidate (Janardhan Poojary) looks at Modi as his opponent because the BJP never asks for votes in the name of its candidate or party.”
Criticizing BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, he said, "Politicians like Atal Bihari Vajpayee showed a dislike towards Modi after the Gujarat riots; leaders like Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Jaswanth Singh and Murli Manohar Joshi too do not like Modi."
He also pointed out that the US has refused to provide visa to Modi.
Taking a dig at Rukmayya Poojary who is said to have released photos comparing the crowds at the two rallies, Kalige Taranath Shetty, spokesperson of the district Congress said, "Rukmayya Poojary was sidelined for five years and just to survive in the party he holds press meets and gives bizarre statements."
He also said that the BJP leaders have involved themselves in 'cheap politics' by comparing Rahul's rally to Modi's February visit.
"People arrived for Rahul Gandhi's rally between 2 pm and 4 pm. The BJP took pictures of Rahul's rally and compared it to Modi’s rally. But the Congress planned the rally in only three days and thereby created a record, unlike BJP which planned Modi's rally for 30 days. We have taken this issue (of BJP clicking pictures for comparison) very seriously and filed a written complaint to the district election commission," he said.
"Let the BJP hold a Dharmayudha but not play these kind of cheap political gimmicks," he added.
Ibrahim Kodijal alleged that the activists who harassed corporator Pratibha Kulai recently were from the BJP and Sangh Parivar.
When asked against whom the complaint was filed over the issue, Kallige Taranath said, “The complaint was filed against the youths who were involved. There were two arrests while the police officials were on the spot.”
Stany Alvares, A C Bhandary, Naveen D’Souza and others were also present.