Congress office-bearers blame Ministers for poll debacle

Congress office-bearers are said to have blamed Ministers for the debacle the party suffered in the State in the Lok Sabha elections.

Party office-bearers, including district unit presidents, submitted reports to president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) G. Parameshwara at a meeting he chaired here on Thursday to take stock and assess the reasons for the party’s poll debacle.

The reports would be examined and submitted to All India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi, Dr. Parameshwara announced in the meeting, according to information received here. Details of the reports submitted by district unit presidents were, however, not divulged in the meeting.

According to a source in the party, many office-bearers from the districts blamed Ministers, including in-charge Ministers, for the setback the party suffered in the elections. Suggestions and grievances of party workers at the constituency level were not taken into account by party leaders. If the party did not tighten up things soon, it could see its fortunes wane further, the office-bearers said.

The office-bearers urged Dr. Parameshwara to convey their views to the high command as well as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Dr. Parameshwara instructed party leaders not to air their views in public or before the media, and instead put them across in the party forums.

According to a KPCC statement, the other view that emerged in the meeting was that none of the party leaders or workers who worked against the interests of the party candidates should be considered for the posts of chairperson of boards or corporations. Members also appealed to Dr. Parameshwara to appeal to Mr. Siddaramaiah to consider the names of the party cadres for the boards and corporations.

A decision was taken to invite Ms. Gandhi and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi to the next KPCC executive, scheduled to be held next month. In-charge KPCC office-bearers were told to keep in touch with district unit presidents and initiate steps to win back the confidence of people. The steps include attracting youth and making preparations for the BBMP elections and other upcoming polls.

The office-bearers were also told to suggest names of probable candidates for the byelections to the Legislative Assembly from Chikkodi, Bellary and Shikaripur.

Party leaders B.L. Shankar, A.B. Malakareddy, Rani Satish, R. Roshan Baig, Satish Jarkhiholi, V. Muniyappa, and M.M. Nanaiah were present, among others.