Bengaluru: All-India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and Karnataka in-charge K.C. Venugopal on Friday directed Congress leaders to focus on winning the next Assembly election by strengthening party in the state.
“All of you have to focus on winning the next Assembly elections instead of discussing and debating on who will be the next Chief Minister,’’ Venugopal told Congress leaders during the Congress Legislature Party meeting at Vidhana Soudha.
The AICC general secretary has said that Congress high command had already decided to go to people in the next Assembly elections under the leadership of Siddaramaiah. “The Congress high command and Congress Legislature Party will decide on who should become the next chief minister. It is not advisable for anyone to claim that he will be the next chief minister or the particular leader will be the next chief minister,’’ he said.
Many Congress leaders consider Venugopal’s directive as a rebuke to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dr. G. Parameshwara who were busy in issuing statements on the issue of next chief minister if Congress romps home in the next Assembly elections. Parameshwar is considered as a strong contender for the post. Taking exception to some Congress leaders issuing statements in support as well as against the chief ministerial candidate, Venugopal has advised them to stop issuing such statements and focus on strengthening the party in the state.
“There is no need for confusion about the next chief ministerial candidate. You prepare action plan for the next Assembly elections. Ensure Congress Mane Manege programme success. Take measures to reach government programmes to the people,’’ he said. He wanted the Congress leaders not to discuss anything other than strengthening Congress party in the state. “Do not talk as per your whims and fancies to ruin the good work done by the government in the last four years.
Mane Manege Congress programme
The AICC general secretary has availed information about the Congress Mane Manege programme from all Congress legislators. He advised them not to neglect the programme. “I have received complaints against some Congress leaders being negligent towards this programme. It will not be tolerated. Every Congress legislator has to come forward to ensure success of this programme. They have to send a report to Congress high command on the programme,’’ he said.
He said the programme’s success would not be a difficult task since each booth will have only 300 houses. “All of you have to work hard. It is not an order or direction but an appeal,’’ he said. Earlier, speaking with media persons, he said Congress Mane Manege programme has become a success in the state. “The meeting is being held with Congress legislators to give an emphasis to the programme,’’ he told reporters.
Condolence
The Congress Legislators Party meeting condoled the death of former chief minister Dharam Singh and former minister Qamarul Islam. The meeting observed one-minute silence to mourn the death of Dharam Singh and Qamarul Islam.
Felicitations
The CLP meeting felicitated newly elected MLC C.M. Ibrahim, new ministers Geetha Mahadeva Prasad, H. Revanna, R.B. Thimmapura.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, KPCC president Dr. G. Parameshwar, KPCC working presidents Dinesh Gundu Rao, S.R. Patil, ministers D.K. Shivakumar, T.B. Jayachandra, Kagodu Thimmappa, Ramesh Kumar, Dr. Sharanaprakash Patil, S.S. Mallikarjuna, Ramanath Rai and other ministers and majority of Congress legislators attended the meeting.
