The Congress is planning to use the birth centenary of the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as a re-launch pad by holding a State-level celebration here on November 19.
Titled ‘Indira 100, Swarajyada Kadege Namma Nadige’, the programme will be used to connect the younger generation with the ideals of Ms. Gandhi and woo them to the party. Addressing a preparatory meeting here on Monday, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G. Parameshwara said Ms. Gandhi’s achievements would be publicised in every village in the State during the year-long celebrations.
Though the party had initially planned the celebrations in Raichur, it had to be cancelled. While several district Congress units, including his home district Tumakuru vied to host it, Dr. Parameshwara chose Dakshina Kannada to counter the growing influence of the saffron brigade and to instil confidence among the party cadres ahead of the 2018 Assembly polls. Stating that the ‘Congress Nadige Samarasyada Kadege’ organised from Ullal to Mangaluru ahead of the the 2013 Assembly polls was a grand success giving the party seven of the eight Assembly seats in the district, Mr. Parameshwara hoped that the programme should take the Congress again to the seat of power. He urged the cadres from neighbouring districts too to participate in the main event in large numbers to send out a strong message to the BJP.
Taking a dig at the BJP, Dr. Parameshwara said the party had not only announced the future Chief Minister, but had also distributed portfolios to them. He wondered with what confidence it was doing so.
Earlier, KPCC vice-president B.L. Shankar urged BJP cadres to study history again, as its own leader A.B. Vajpayee had praised Ms. Gandhi as Durga in Parliament. “As that party is ignorant about history, it is now attempting to create one,” he alleged.
Revival plans
The programe is titled ‘Indira 100, Swarajyada Kadege Namma Nadige’
It will be used to connect the younger generation with the ideals of
Ms. Gandhi
