Date:08/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/08/stories/2008100859810800.htm

Karnataka

‘BJP Government is a curse’

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: Newly appointed Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President R.V. Deshpande on Tuesday remarked that the Bharatiya Janata Party Government was a curse on the people of the State and that the immediate need is to oust the Government.

Participating in a meet-the-press programme, jointly organised by the Bangalore Reporters’ Guild and the Press Club of Bangalore here, Mr. Deshpande said the BJP Government’s achievements were zero.

He alleged that the Government, headed by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, had failed to uphold secular values.

It had created fear psychosis among the minorities. The Sangh Parivar was acting as though it had been given a licence by the Government to attack the churches, he said.

‘No clarity’

He said he had not seen any government like the BJP which had become unpopular within such a short span of three to four months of coming to power. He alleged that the Government lacked clarity.

He observed that the results of the coming by-elections to eight Assembly constituencies would definitely have an impact on the ruling BJP if the Congress fared well in the elections.

He observed that though the Congress had won the highest percentage of votes in the previous Assembly elections, it could not win more number of seats. This was because of the split in the secular votes which had drifted away from the Congress.

Secular vote

He would now strive for drawing back “these secular votes” to the Congress-fold by actively strengthening the party organisation at all levels, with a focus on secularism and social justice. He would give more opportunities to the youth in achieving these goals, he said.

At the same time, he remained noncommittal to a query on whether the Congress would forge an alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular) to prevent the division of secular votes.

Mr. Deshpande said there was no confusion in the KPCC over the appointment of a working president along with the president. As per the Congress constitution, the president’s post is supreme. However, to cope with the increasing work pressure, working presidents have been appointed in several States. In fact, Rajasthan has three working presidents while Gujarat and Maharashtra have two and one, respectively, he said.