Kumaraswamy highlights 40-year-long Congress 'failure'

Mangalore, May 25 (UNI) Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today made a scathing attack on Congress leaders who had made an election plank out of his village stays.

Speaking to reporters after a 'padayatra' at Kollapu near here, during the electioneering at the Ullal assembly segment for which bypoll was slated for June two, he said that after failing to come to the rescue of rural mass who suffered for 40 long years under the Congress rule, its leaders were finding fault with his prompt attempts to help the rural folk.

"Did Congress leaders like KPCC President Mallilkarjun Kharge ever tried to feel the pulse of the rural poor by leaving their airconditioned rooms and staying in poor habitats. They (Congress leaders) did't dare to accept my invitation to stay in farmers' homes due to the fear of the wrath of villagers in distress as Congress had continuously failed to redress the problems faced by these people," he alleged.

Replying to former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah criticism about his village stays, Mr Kumaraswamy asked if the rural mass did not have confidence in him, why would they stay till the wee hours to explain their problems during his visit to villages.

By making baseless charges against his government leaders like Siddaramaiah and C M Ibrahim, who had deserted JD(S) to join Congress recently, were giving 'free entertainment' to the people of Karnataka with their 'antics', he added.

Welcoming the statement of Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa that BJP would adopt Ullal if his party won the byelection, the Chief Minister said that "atleast BJP felt the need to make such an announcement. I will be happy if problems faced by the people of Ullal is properly addressed." Mr Yediyurappa's statement had attracted criticism from the Congress which said it would petition the election commission against the BJP for violationg the election code.

Mr Kumaraswamy denied that JD(S) had fielded a candidate to 'divide' the minority votes to defeat the Congress. "We are serious to win this election. It is the Congress party which is trying to help BJP by fielding a 'namesake' candidate who had no political standing," he remarked.

UNI