Congress demands immediate polls to urban local bodies

Bangalore, Jan 22 (UNI) Congress today demanded the Karnataka government to hold immediate elections for urban local bodies whose terms had been completed long back.

Addressing newsmen after holding the meeting of the district presidents, Taluk committees and PCC members here today, KPCC President Mallikarjuna Kharge told newspersons that a resolution had been passed to urge the state government on the issue.

He said that the state government cannot defer the elections to the urban civic bodies and the government was constitutionally bound to hold it immediately at the end of the terms.

Mr Kharge has said that the party was geared up to face the elections and accused that government was delaying it fearing drubbing at the hustings.

He said the party also discussed about the drought situation prevailing in over 128 taluks in the state and said that state government has failed in tackling the situation. The center had released over Rs 500 crore and along with 50,000 metric tons of food grains to take up relief works in drought and flood ravaged areas.

However, the state government has not bothered to utilise the funds so far and Chief Minister was only busy in doling out false promises to cover up his failures, he said.

UNI