Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Aug 21: "During the period the town panchayat and municipal council ruled this city, Congress was able to get elected with majority and rule the city only on three occasions. On all other occasions, either Jan Sangh or Bharatiya Janata Party was in office. The voters of the city are now having memories of the BJP rule in the past and earnestly want to hand over power to BJP this time. Therefore, this time BJP will defeat Congress and rise to power here," said union minister, D V Sadananda Gowda.

He was speaking to media persons at his residence here on Monday August 20. Gowda told them that the people of the city are now frustrated by Congress rule and fondly wish for a change. "Our party has fielded able and efficient candidates in all the 31 wards here. The voters here are fed up with the factional politics of Congress party. Out of 31 wards, our party will win 25 seats and get back to rule in the city municipal council," he exuded confidence.

Gowda in the meanwhile, accused officials of the urban planning authority here of fleecing the people on account of rampant corruption. He said that officials have been craving to get a posting in this city with an eye on lucrative earning. He charged these officials of transforming the authority, which should have been a people-friendly arrangement, into a system which robs people.

In another press conference held in the city, former block Congress president, Kavu Hemanath Shetty, accused the party leaders of overlooking the hard work of the people who had executed real development work and given good administration to the city. He said those who defected to other parties and defeated the party in the past and those who were evicted in the past from the party, have been given opportunity again. "In the previous assembly election, the party did not give ticket to me, arguing that sitting MLAs will get tickets. However, this time, several sitting councillors have been denied a ticket," he stated.

District president of Kissan unit of Congress party, Lokesh Hegde, city Congress former president, Lancy Mascarenhas, current president of the municipal council, Jayanti Balnad and several councillors were present.