Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (MS)

Udupi, Mar 24: Congress-JD(S) alliance candidate for the Lok Sabha constituency of Udupi-Chikkamagaluru, Pramod Madhwaraj spoke on various issues in a press conference that was held at the Congress Bhavan in the city on Sunday, March 24.

Madhwaraj said, “In a quick political development I have been chosen as the alliance candidate of Congress and JD(S). The leaders and workers of Congress and JD(S) have taken an oath to defeat BJP at any cost. We had conducted alliance meeting at four constituencies of Chikkamagalur district on March 23. The support we got there was tremendous. In future, Congress and JD(S) will work as milk and honey. We have to forget the minor differences within the parties and work together.

“The earlier MP was as if she was not there. Her own party members started the ‘Go Back Shobha’ campaign on twitter. Today we have to complete this campaign by defeating BJP.

“I will work honestly in resolving the issues in both the districts and also see that the schemes of state and central government reach to the people of the constituency. Congress has promoted me three times in a short span of time. I am in the Congress party but candidate of JD(S). The symbol will be that of JD(S).

“I could not win the last election due to the false propaganda that was made against me. I have provided water and electrical supply, road work and NERM bus facility to the district. During my term as a legislator, I have allowed to extract six tones of sand out of the allotted nine tones for the district. 28 blocks were opened and permit was given to 165 people to extract sand. However, due to the callousness of the central government the district is facing sand shortage. CRZ rules have to be amended from the center. The sitting MP has failed in this matter. If I win, I will get the CRZ rules amended.

“The central government, defense minister Nirmala Sitaraman and MP Shobha has failed in tracing the missing boat Suvarna Tribhuja and the seven fishermen who were on it. Even after three months there is no clue as to what happened to this boat and the fishermen. Mostly, they are involved in the disappearance of the boat and the fishermen.

“Navy was also involved in the search operation. However, their report is not clear. This seems to be a case of hit and run. The people of Navy have to be interrogated. They are just doing the drama of tracing the boat. They are trying to shut this case. There is a suspicion whether the technology is so outdated that it cannot trace a missing boat. The defense minister and MP Shobha are cheating the fishermen community.

“The central government has not released a single rupee as the subsidy for diesel and kerosene in the last five years. Shobha Karandlaje has totally failed in giving justice to the fishermen. I had instructed to give a compensation of Rs six lac to the fishermen for the mishap that occurred in Bantwal. However, under the central government, before five years, only Rs two lac was given as compensation.

“The only support Shobha relies on is Narendra Modi. However, Modi cannot be my opponent. Taking the name of Modi is misusing his name rather than using it for good purpose. People will understand the logic behind using Modi’s name in seeking votes.

“I am going to file my nomination on Monday, March 25. On this occasion, K J George, Udupi district in-charge Dr Jayamala, district Congress presidents of both the districts and leaders will be present,” he said.

Answering the accusations of social activist T J Abraham, Pramod said, “My family is dealing with the bank since the time of father from 1960. Getting loan is not against the law. They ask for collateral security. Abraham comes only during the election time and speaks against me. He does not even know who Pramod is. The local BJP people are instigating him to speak against me.

“He is a blackmailer. I have put a defamation case on him. The court had already fined him Rs 25 lac for defaming someone else. He has a non-bailable case on him also. His accusation is completely false,” he said.

When asked about the discontent shown by AICC member Amrit Shenoy, Pramod said that he has met him in his house and will resolve the issue amicably.

“Modi government needs to be ousted. When we compare the economic progress made during the time of Manmohan Singh and Modi, we will know who is an efficient PM. The income of Amit Shah’s son has doubled after Amit Shah has become the national president of BJP. The pockets of poor are being emptied and filled in that of the rich,” said Madhwaraj.

G A Bawa, secretary U R Sabapati, M A Gafoor, Ashok Kumar Kodavoor, Prakhyat Shetty, Vishwas Amin, Swapna Srinivas, Sowmya Harish, Bharath Gundodi, Satish Amin Padukere and Yatish Karkera were present.