The Hindu : Unity, discipline in Congress has improved, says Poojary

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Unity, discipline in Congress has improved, says Poojary

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore March 24. The KPCC President, B. Janardhana Poojary, has claimed that unity and discipline had improved in the Congress in the last one month.

He has also expressed his confidence in the ministers being in a position to implement the various programmes announced in the State Budget.

Speaking to presspersons here today, Mr. Poojary, who succeeded Allum Veerabhadrappa as KPCC President last month, said the Budget was a model one and the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, could take the credit for the efficient handling of the State's finances. Karnataka was ahead of the national average in most spheres, as the Budget revealed.

His views on the ministers were expressed when questioned about the complaints being voiced by party members about the inefficiency of some of the ministers.

Mr. Poojary noted that the Congress had won with ease the byelection to the Assembly from Humnabad in Bidar District held on February 26. Questioned about clashes among Congress workers in places such as Bellary, he spoke of how he was able to resolve a dispute in Tumkur involving the supporters and opponents of the party MP, G.S. Basavaraju. About the recent incident at Bellary involving the supporters of K.C. Kondaiah, MLC, and the Minister of State for Cooperation, Divakar Babu, who fought in the presence of Mr. Veerabhadrappa, the PCC President promised to go into the matter.

Mr. Poojary spoke of the possibility of the National Democratic Alliance opting for an early election to the Lok Sabha around November this year. He had information that the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, had given thought to dissolving the Lok Sabha and seeking early elections by May. However the defeat of the BJP in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections had made the BJP leaders put off a decision.

He defended the appointment of Congress workers as chairpersons of government boards and corporations on the ground that certain districts and sections of society had been underrepresented or not given representation so far. Mr. Poojary said that he had not expressed himself against partyman being appointed as chairpersons or aspiring for such positions.

He had only stated that they should not make it an issue if somebody was appointed or someone else ignored. He laughed away a question if any public purpose would be served by appointing Congressmen as chairmen of boards, corporations, and PSUs which were under liquidation.

About nominations to the Legislative Council, Mr. Poojary said it was left to the Chief Minister. However, the party would give its opinion if it were consulted.

To a demand from some Congress workers that they should be given preference in the nomination and not those non-politicians who had distinguished themselves in various fields, Mr. Poojary said that if there were Congressmen who had won distinction in fields such as literature or journalism (for instance) their case could be considered.

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