Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MD)

Mangaluru, Apr 24: Chief minister Siddaramaiah on Friday April 24 laid the foundation stone for district Congress Bhavan at Mallikatta here. Three-storey building is coming up on a nine-cent land.

After the ceremony, a formal function was held at Kadri ground. Addressing the gathering, Siddaramaiah said, "In many districts, the Congress does not have an exclusive office of its own. It is not there in Mysuru even. Therefore, I have instructed all the district inchage ministers in the state to construct Congress Bhavans in their respective districts. It is their responsibility to do it."

He further said, "The Congress has a history of almost 130 years. This is the only political party to rule for so many years. Winning and losing is common in a democratic country, So party workers need not worry about the loss in the last general elections. People just wanted a change as Congress had ruled for 10 years at the centre. Even if you do good work, people still want a change."

Targetting the union government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, "Modi came to power by saying 'achche din ayenge' (Good days will come). But it has not happened and will not happen in future too. The union government has no welfare programme for farmers. It grants funds with one hand and takes them back with another hand.

"Before the elections, Modi had promised to bring black money and that everyone would get Rs 15 lacs. But now he does not speak about it. I have never seen such shameless liars in my life," he lashed out.

Attacking the BJP, he said, "There are BJP leaders who have gone to jail and come out. There are people who have watched blue film in the Assembly. These men do not have any shame or manners. BJP has not done any work rather other than swatting houseflies. BJP is a party which pokes its nose into other people's religion and caste. It tries to divide people on communal lines.

"We have 3 more years and so far 95 out of 165 promises have been fulfilled. I will strive to make Congress party win in the state again," he added.

"Lot of people are talking about the BBMP elections. Bengaluru is a fast developing city, consisting of one-sixth of the state's total population. There were problems of solid waste management earlier, but after Congress came to power, we have solved the problem steadily. Bengaluru had become a garbage city from garden city, but now it has become a garden city once again," he said.

He said the gram panchayat elections would take place in May end, and exhorted the party workers to ensure that Congress wins every gram panchayat. "Our party workers should start preparing now itself. If we win the gram panchayat, it will lay a strong foundation for us," he said.

"We are planning to provide loan to farmers at very less interest rates. Congress party is there to work for the poor people. BJP does not think this way, even in its agenda. In the next general elections, under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Congress will bounce back," the CM added.

District incharge minister Ramanath Rai in his presidential address said, "Today is the day when Congress gets its own place. Nine cents of land has high value today, but we got this land much earlier with the help of the revenue department. Lot of development work has been done in Mangaluru.

"Here when you talk of politics, it is only about Congress and BJP - there is lot of competition between us. Congress has many good leaders and party workers in Mangaluru. We are working for the welfare of the poor and this has to continue. We may have lost at the centre, but it is not the end. We should fight our way back and rebuild the party. BJP has fooled the people and has not worked as promised. There is still no sign of black money," he added.

Senior Congress leader Janardhan Poojary said, "Chief minister Siddaramaiah has done what no other CM has done till now. Even Mayawati is nothing compared to Siddaramaiah. Our CM has created history, and on behalf of 6 crore people of the state I salute you. I know what hunger is, what poverty is."

Reiterating his demand to boost tourism in Dakshina Kannada, he said, "Ullal Dargah should become a tourist centre because a large number of people irrespective of caste or religion come there. We have Dharmasthala, Kollur, Subramanya, Attur Church and so many other famous places. Rs 15 crore should be granted for Ullal Dargah. Mangaluru should become a tourist hub.

"I will speak for the people. Nobody can stop me, I will speak till I die," he declared.

He also lauded Rahul Gandhi and said that his recent speeches have proved that he is a statesman.

District Congress interim president Kodijal Ibrahim welcomed the guests and said that it was Ramanath Rai's dream to build a Congress Bhavan during his tenure, and now it has become a reality. "We want to complete the construction work within a year and open it as soon as possible," he said.

Ministers Vinay Kumar Sorake, U T Khadar, Abhaychandra Jain, MLAs J R Lobo, Mohiuddin Bava and Shakuntala Shetty, MLC Ivan D'Souza, mayor Jacintha Alfred, Suresh Ballal, B A Moideen, Mohammed Masood, Vijay Kumar Shetty, Mithun Rai, Divya Prabha, Mamatha Gatti, Kanachur Monu, Shashidhar Hegde and others were present.

Earlier Report

CM Siddu in Mangaluru - Talks of MCC commissioner's transfer create buzz

Pics: Meryick D'Silva
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Apr 24: Chief minister Siddaramaiah's visit to the city on Friday April 24 was abuzz with talks of some MCC corporators reportedly wanting the transfer of MCC commissioner Hephsiba Rani Korlapati.

While reporters were waiting at the airport, Siddaramaiah did not appear even 30 minutes after landing. It was learnt that the corporators and some Congress leaders had entered the airport and were holding discussions with him, reportedly demanding transfer of the MCC commissioner.

However, when questioned later, the CM brushed aside the issue.

Speaking to reporters, he said, "It is an internal issue. There is some misunderstanding between the mayor (Jacintha Alfred) and the MCC commissioner. It will be sorted out." He refused to elaborate further. It was however learnt that he instructed urban development minister Vinay Kumar Sorake, who was also present, to look into issue and take necessary steps.

To a question on Yettinahole project the CM said, "Let me make it clear that it is not Netravati river diversion - it is Yettinahole project. While the Mekedatu project will provide water to Bengaluru Rural and Kolar for drinking and power generation, the Yettinahole project will provide water to Tumakuru, parts of Hassan, Bengaluru, Kolar and Chikkaballapur, and it will be used only for drinking and other needs and not for power generation or industries."

Regarding BBMP elections and proposed trifurcation plans, he said, "When the single bench allowed the writ petition, we questioned it but the bench said that the BBMP elections have to be held before May 30. We again questioned it in high court double bench and it accepted our plea and agreed to postpone the elections."

On when the BBMP elections would be held, he said, "We have discussed it in the state Assembly and the Council. BBMP has to be restructured and for that we have brought an amendment which was passed in the lower house is under discussion in the upper house. The discussion is not over and the house has been adjourned to Monday April 27. After that we will decide whether to bifurcate or trifurcate BBMP."

He further said that never before in the history of Karnataka has any bill been passed over to select committee, as being demanded by the opposition parties regarding trifurcation of BBMP. "When a bill is passed in the lower house, it may get defeated in the upper house, but never has any bill been handed over to a select committee. The BJP and the JD(S) are indulging in bad practices," he said.

On the issue of farmers suicide, he said, "It is not that after our government came to power that farmers started committing suicide. It has been happening since long. Farmers should end their lives. I appeal to all farmers to not take such extreme steps. We are with you. When farmers are in trouble we will respond and help them, but suicide is not a solution. Whatever compensation they deserve, the government will provide.

"In the rains that lashed the state on Thursday April 23, 64 hectares of crops were destroyed. We will provide compensation of Rs 25,000 for every hectare," he added.

Regarding the ongoing census, he said, "The survey should be completed by April 30. I have held video conferences with DCs about this. They will be held responsible if census is not completed on time."

'No misunderstanding with MCC commissioner'

Speaking to daijiworld, mayor Jacintha Alfred denied that she had any misunderstanding with MCC commissioner Hephsiba Rani Korlapati.

"There is no misunderstanding between the MCC commissioner and me," she said.

Asked what the corporators discussed with the CM for nearly half an hour inside the airport, she said, "We just discussed about various development works in Mangaluru and demanded funds from the government."

Vinay Kumar Sorake and the MCC commissioner were not reachable.

Demand for transfer

Speaking to daijiworld, corporator Harinath said that 30 corporators are demanding the transfer of the MCC commissioner as they are not happy with her work and style of functioning.

"She (Korlapati) is not doing her work properly. We need her permission even to enter MCC chambers. She is not even responding to people's problems and no work is getting done under her," he alleged, adding that the CM must agree to their demands of getting her transferred.