Speakers at a convention of Praja Pragati Ranga, a coalition of 16 organisations, including Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Dalit units, accused national and regional parties of “taking the people for a ride” over the years.
On Wednesday, they said that they would be participating in the coming Assembly elections on May 5 and provide a “political alternative”.
Addressing the gathering, ranga president Kodihalli Chandrashekar alleged that the Congress, the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had misused the mandate given to them and worked against the interest of farmers, labourers, Dalits, oppressed sections of society by promoting capitalist economy.
The Congress, which had ruled the country for nearly four decades after Independence, had failed in meeting the aspirations of the people, he said.
Criticising the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda for “exploiting the Cauvery issue for political reasons”, he said that advertisements issued in media by Mr. Deve Gowda was nothing but a political strategy to woo the electorate.
Litterateur Chandrashekar Patil said that it was time for the poor and the exploited, who were fighting for justice, to wrest power from the political parties.
He also appealed to the people to keep communal and casteist forces away from power.
M. Venkataswamy of Republican Party of India, Abdul Majeed of Social Democratic Party of India, Mohan Raj of Dalit Sangharsh Samithi, Narsing Patel of Samata Sainik Dal and farmer leader Kadidal Shamanna were present.
