Pics: Abhijith N Kolpe
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Nov 12: Speaking about the defeat faced by his party in both the assembly bypolls in Sira and Rarajeshwari Nagar constituencies, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D K Shivakumar, said that in a democratic set up such things happen, and he has accepted the verdict of the people.
Shivakumar spoke to media on his way to the airport where district Congress led by former MLA Abhayachandra Jain is staging hunger strike at Kenjar on Thursday November 12 against the privatisation of Mangaluru International Airport.
However he said that the margin of defeat in both the constituencies has come as a surprise for himself and the party. "Educated voters have cast their votes in favour of our party. But the margin of defeat has given rise to doubts. We will undertake a detailed booth-wise study about the result. We will also meet experts and analyse the result," he added.
On the issue of the disappearance of former Bengaluru mayor and accused in the KG Halli rioting, Sampath Raj, he referred to a statement made by state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel, that Sampath Raj has been kept in a hideout by Shivakumar. "What is Nalin? Is he the home minister? If I had hidden him, they could have arrested me. They have been planning to inflict all kinds of miseries on me, and I have information about these plans. Nalin Kumar will be in power as long as he is alive," Shivakumar said satirically.
“Congress tradition is nationalising while BJP's tradition is privatising. If BJP does not work for the sentiments of the people, for whom they will work? State Congress is always with the party representatives who are conducting series of protests over the privatisation of the airport," he said.
In the protest at Kenjar, district Congress also demanded to rename the airport to any well-known people of Tulunadu instead of Adani and also give job opportunities for locals at the airport.
District Youth Congress president Mithun Rai, district Mahila Congress president Shalet Pinto, former MLA Vinay Kumar Sorake and others were present.