Report and pic by Vinay Pais
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Aug 23: Addressing a gathering of Congress party workers at the Anantha Padmanabha Sabha Graha in Hanglur near here on Friday August 22, union labour minister Oscar Fernandes called upon them to brace up to face the general election scheduled to be held in the year 2009. He also advised them to ensure that the electorate is kept well informed of the welfare measures implemented by the central government headed by the eminently able Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The programme was arranged for the first time, under the aegis of Rajiv Gandhi Panchayath Raj Association. He reminded the party workers, that the association has nearly 40,000 panchayat members at the national level out which 10,000 are women. In Udupi district alone, it is heartening to observe that women panchayat members constitute about 50% of the elected members and that they can turn the voters in favour of the Congress party, by actively involving with the job of electioneering.

Among the members present were ex-MP Vinaya Kumar Sorake, MLC K Pratapchandra Shetty, ex-minister Jayaprakash Hegde, Udupi district Congress committee president M A Gafoor etc.,

Block Congress president Malyadi Shivarama Shetty welcomed the gathering.