Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (HB/EP)
Udupi, May 11: “The Congress has provided the highest number of opportunities to Pramod Madhwaraj in a short period. He has left the party as an opportunist. The party has provided him positions from the Assembly till the government. He was never harmed by the party. He became a JD(S) candidate with the help from Congress. He was also made KPCC vice president recently. He has taken the hasty decision even though Congress gave him everything. Congress has not been unjust to him,” said KPCC working president Dhruvanarayan in the news conference held at Udupi Congress Bhavan on Wednesday May 11.
He further said, “I have seen his resignation. He had asked to give the position of block Congress president and district Congress chief secretary to his candidate. We have fulfilled his demand.
“It is not right for Pramod to speak about Congress after deserting the party. He has been respected everywhere. D K Shivakumar had huge faith in him in order to make Mogaveera community man to grow at state level. But he betrayed the party, making voters bow their heads in shame. We did not know her personal desires. Politics is not stagnant water. The party needs to be united and strengthened now.
“BJP is daydreaming of Congress-free Karnataka. BJP also has leaders who have come back from prison like in Congress. While you have several problems in your house, you do not have the moral right to speak about Congress. BJP is into politics by giving importance to religion. BJP has reduced the subsidy to SC/ST. It is misleading everyone by giving wrong figures.
“People had high hopes from the BJP. None of them are fulfilled. They have spoiled the peace in the state. They are highlighting Azaan and Halal to hide corruption. What is the problem of Bhajans in the temples? The age-old tradition should continue. Everybody should live like brothers,” he said.
‘Madhwaraj was not to be seen in the last three years’
“Madhwaraj did not attend any party programmes for the last three years,” said district Congress president Ashok Kumar Kodavoor reacting to Pramod Madhwaraj deserting the party.
“Our party activists and leaders have worked for him. The party has provided him with all the facilities. The party has worked for two of his generations. Should none of us come up? We have fulfilled all of his demands. Going away is his wish. Why is hurling baseless allegations now? He and his mother get a pension of Rs 60,000 because of the efforts of our activists. We spend on the party the amount that should be spent on our wives and children. I did not feel anything special after he left. I had spoken to him in the party framework when he contested as JD(S) candidate. Everybody should follow the party discipline,” he said.
“Many activists say that they are relieved now. Why did he not stand by people during the Corona pandemic? We have distributed the kits begging during lockdown,” he said.
Former minister Vinay Kumar Sorake, former MLA U R Sabhapathi, spokesperson Bhaskar Kidiyoor, Bipin Chandrapal Nakre, Prasad Kanchan, block Congress president Ramesh Kanchan, Dinaker Heroor, Veronica Cornelio, Harish Kini, Abid Ali, Kishan Hegde Kolkebail, B Narasimha Murthy, Prakhyat Shetty, Deepak Kotian and Annayya Sherigar were present.