For Congress, Double Engine is Economic Development and Social Goodwill – Jairam Ramesh
Mangaluru: “The State Assembly elections will be held on May 10. We need to discuss local issues but the BJP national leaders Modi, Amit Shah and J P Nadda are discussing National issues for the State Assembly elections. After we come to power, we implement the promises we have made. During the Bharat Jodo Yatra, we were in Karnataka for 23 days. The Bharat Jodo Yatra passed through Chamaraj Nagar, Mysuru, Mandya, Tumkur, Chitradurga, Bellari and Raichur. During the Bharat Jodo Yatra, we realized that the people of Karnataka have decided to vote for Congress. We have come to know that we will win the forthcoming Assembly elections. Ours is a Guarantee government and we discuss local issues”, said former Union Minister and the AICC, General Secretary and In-charge of Communications Jairam Ramesh during a press meet held at the Congress Bhavan, Mallikatta here on May 1.
Addressing the media persons Jairam Ramesh said, “The party has assured 5 guarantees always giving importance to local issues. For the first time, all the five Congress leaders namely Mallikarjuna Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar are discussing only the local issues covering all 224 constituencies. For the first time, there is no dissidence in our party, but because of dissidence in BJP, their leaders and members are joining Congress. People are aware that Congress will win with a full majority and form the government. Siddaramaiah said there is a secret understanding between JDS-BJP. We will not form a coalition government. We hope the people of Karnataka will elect us to power with a full mandate”.
Jairam further said, “PM Modi always talks about a double-engine government, which means they need to have the BJP government in New Delhi and Bengaluru. In other states, a double-engine government means the central government will play a major role. But in Karnataka, the state government generates 94% of the revenue. In Karnataka, a double Engine means Main Engine in Bengaluru. In Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Manipur the main engine is in New Delhi. This election depends on how the government performs. For us, a double engine means Economic development and Social Goodwill”.
Jairam also said, “The Home minister is planning to centralize all the Cooperative societies. All the cooperative societies should come under the BJP government and be controlled by the Central government. BJP President JP Nadda says that the voters will not get Narendra Modiji’s “blessings” if they do not vote for the BJP. Modiji is not God to bless anyone. This election is a contest for local issues and we have announced our guarantees region-wise. Let anyone including Modiji, Amit Shah or Nadda come to Karnataka for the election campaign or roadshow, we don’t have any differences. BJP’s agenda is polarization while our agenda is development. In the BJP manifesto, it is mentioned that they will give 3 gas cylinders per year free even though they had assured to give two cylinders free in UP but to date, no one has received free cylinders. Theirs is not a manifesto, it is Jhoot, Loot BJP Moneyfesto”.
“It is easy to print the manifesto on paper, but they don’t deliver any promises made during the elections. This time we will get a clear mandate and that is not overconfidence but our self-confidence. During the Bharat Jodo Yatra, we got a very good response. There is unity during this election since we fight this election on local issues”, assured Jairam.
When asked who will get the guarantees, such as free electricity, Jairam said, “There is no APL and BPL, there is no concept of BPL since no survey has been done for the past 20 years. Just tell us where is the poverty line and who has done the survey?”.
District Congress President Harish Kumar, former MP Dr Ajay Kumar, MLC Manjunath Bhandary, Advocate Vinayraj, Advocate Monoraj and others were also present.
