Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SB)

Mangaluru, Apr 22: Union minister for chemicals and fertilizers H N Ananth Kumar on Saturday April 22 downplayed the recent by-poll victories registered by Congress in Nanjangud and Gundlupet, and said that Congress would definitely lose next year's Karnataka Assembly elections.

Addressing a press meet at Vikas PU College conference hall here, Ananth Kumar said, "Siddaramaiah is in a day dream. The by-election victories only show him as a drowning man who clutches at a straw. He and his Congress party will lose in the upcoming state elections. He has lost the faith of common people, especially farmers. As a so-called backward class leader, he has done nothing for the backward class. If he truly loved the backward community, he would have first asked his leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi why they put constitutional status to OBC Commissions Bill on hold in the Rajya Sabha."

Regarding the constitutional status to OBC Commissions Bill which was passed by the Lok Sabha but failed to get approval from the Rajya Sabha, he said, "The Congress has played a villain's role with the backward communities. The Lok Sabha has already passed the 123rd Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2017, which introduces a national commission for socially and educationally backward classes along with a bill that repeals the 1993 national commission for backward classes legislation. With their opposition in Rajya Sabha, the Congress showed their true colours. They do not want the development of the backward community. This is the Congress party's agenda. Since independence, they have stuck to this agenda. We will continue our fight through the next Assembly and will try to give constitutional status to the OBC Commission."

Highlighting the results of the recent state elections especially in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand he said, "The election results shows that people are with BJP and are impressed by the leadership of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These victories are a reflection of our three years' administration. The huge support from the public shows that our development programmes have reached them. Currently, we are in power in 17 states. In the BJP national executive meet held at Bhubaneswar recently, deep discussions were held on upcoming state election mainly in Gujarat, Himachal and Karnataka. We have full hopes of victory in these states.

"The Prime Minister has already become a role model of development. With his administration skills, he has become a global icon of 'leadership'," he further said.

On the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadi Yojana, a programme meant to make generic drugs affordable for the common man, he said, "Making quality medicines affordable has been a challenge. The programme seeks to popularise the use of unbranded generic medicines to bring down actual expenses on medicinal products for the common man and make health care affordable and safe. The government will open 3,000 Jan Aushadhi stores across the country.

"The Modi-led central government is making policies to help the poor and backward people of the nation. In 70 years of Independent India, the budget being truly functional is seen now. Last year, Lok Sabha's functioning was calculated at 114% and Rajya Sabha's at 94%. This shows how Modi concentrates on administration. This year, we created history by passing the GST bill. The bill will make a lot of changes in the Indian market and the common man's lifestyle. Earlier, people were exploited by 21 types of taxes. Now, it's 'one country, one tax, and one market'. Due to this 8-10% tax burden is reduced," Kumar added.

Union minister Ramesh Jigjinagi, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, former MLA Krishna J Palemar were present at the press meet.