K'taka: Cong gearing up for mega convention

Bangalore, Aug 25: The All India Progressive Janata Dal (AIPJD), led by former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his supporters, will formally merge with the Congress in the presence of its President Sonia Gandhi at a party convention here on September three.

Briefing newspersons here today, Publicity and Campaign Committee Chairman R V Deshpande said Ms Gandhi would address the workers, after the formal merger. Party workers were expected turn up in large numbers for the convention.

Reacting to Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy remark with regard to organising the convention, he clarified that the party would incur minimum expenditure to organise the event. The workers would come to the venue on their own, he added.

Questioning Mr Kumaraswamy's propriety to ask about the source of funds for organising the convention, he claimed that before becoming the Chief Minister even he had organised such mammoth conventions.

He had also taken legislators to various resorts prior to the formation of the present government, he alleged and asked from where had got the money for it.

Predicting that the JD (S)-BJP coalition government would crumble on its own, Mr Deshpande said ''it is unfortunate that the BJP leaders, with the sole objective of sticking to power, have rushed to New Delhi to seek dismissal of its party legislator G Janardhana Reddy for exposing the Chief Minister to the public.'' He said there was no objection if one were to purchase property using legitimate funds. The series of property details, involving the relatives of the Chief Minister, in the last three months called for a thorough investigation, he added.

Mr Deshpande alleged that the JD(S) had become an 'untouchable' because of numerous scandals.

UNI