All-India Congress Committee general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Digvijaya Singh, on Wednesday, said the Congress was an experienced party “which has seen many ups and downs, and it has fostered and adhered to the principles of socialism and secularism”.
The media has written off the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections, he said, cautioning them and party adversaries not to “write us off”. The Congress had always bounced back from defeats in the past, he said, quoting examples of the 2004 and 2009 Lok Sabha elections. Even during Emergency, the Congress had fallen out of favour, but it had come back with a bang. Exit poll surveys had gone awry in the past, he said, replying to a question.
“The people should not hand over the country to those who created communal disturbances and vitiated peace in society,” he said, in a veiled reference to the BJP. The elections are a clash between the social and secular character of the Congress, and the communal agenda of the BJP. The Congress was there always to serve the people of the country. He said the Congress always strive for maintaining its principles.
Later, interacting with presspersons, Mr. Singh said if the Congress loses badly, it would not be a reflection of the leadership of party vice-president Rahul Gandhi. Replying to a question on Telangana’s election prospects, he said the Congress was hopeful of forming the government in Telangana, but it could be a difficult proposition in Seemandhra.
Pats Siddaramaiah govt.
On the performance of the Siddaramaiah government in the last one-year, Mr. Singh said “the government has passed with distinction”.
The party coordination committee meeting chaired by him on Wednesday had reviewed the situation.
He had complimented the Chief Minister and his team in coming up with historic programmes aimed at the welfare of the people of the State. Mr. Siddaramaiah had led the government in ushering in welfare measures and the party would do well in the Lok Sabha elections too, he said.