The Hindu : Cong. will come to power after next LS polls: Sonia

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Sunday, Mar 03, 2002

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Cong. will come to power after next LS polls: Sonia

By Our Staff Correspondent

The Congress president, Sonia Gandhi (centre), dressed in a Lambadi attire at the launch of the thermal power plant in Bellary, Karnataka. The Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, is seen third from left. Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

KUDITINI VILLAGE (Bellary) MARCH 2. The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sonia Gandhi, is hopeful that the Congress will come to power at the Centre after the next Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing a gathering after launching the work on the Rs. 2,200-crore 500-MW Bellary Thermal Power Station here on Saturday. Ms. Gandhi said the Congress was the only party which respected the languages and religions of the country. Only the Congress had been working for the development of all sections of society. The country was realising this and the party could come to power in three States in the recent elections, taking the number of States ruled by it to 14. This had made her confident that the Congress would form the Government after the next Lok Sabha elections.

During her previous visit to Bellary, where she won in the previous Lok Sabha election, she had announced a special package for the development of the district. A sum of Rs. 3,300 crores had been earmarked by the State Government for the purpose. Eighteen works, including those on drinking water supply, underground drainage, roads and bridges, were taken up under the package. Ms. Gandhi said the power project was the last work to be taken up under it.

Commending the Karnataka Government for its endeavour to give more thrust to power generation, she said the project would ensure adequate supply of power to the farmers and setting up of industries, which would lead to development of the district and other parts of the State.

Ms. Gandhi said Bellary had a special place in her heart and promised to strive for the development and uplift of the people.

Stating that Bellary was called the Jeans Capital, Ms. Gandhi said an apparel park could be established there. She asked the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, to look into the proposal, and to create job opportunities to prevent migration of youth from the district in search of jobs. The KPCC president, Allum Veerbhadrappa, and the members of the State Cabinet were present.

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