BJP urges EC to hold Assembly elections in Karnataka in April

Bangalore, Mar 15 (UNI) Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Venkaiah Naidu today urged the Chief Election Commission to hold elections to the Karnataka Assembly in April itself as the State Election Commission has completed the delimitation process.

Speaking to newsmen here, he hoped that the Election Commission would complete its job by March 20 and the next step was only to announce the dates for the election. Since May month was too hot, it was good to hold the elections in April itself, he suggested saying that there should not be any further delay in this regard. He complemented the State Election Commission for its completion of delimitation process within a record time.

Criticising the United Progressive Alliance government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he said his party was ready to have a debate on which party had done more work for the welfare of the farming community in the country. The congress had 'ruled and ruined' the country for 50 years and continuously neglected agriculture sector and did not bother to create rural infrastructure. On the other hand, it was National Democratic Alliance government headed by A B Vajpayee had taken many bold and innovative steps which among others included rural roads programme, linking bank credit to storage in godowns, cold storage chains across the country, kisan credit cards and food for work programme, he explained.

He reacted that the loan waiver announced by the Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram in his budget was too little, too late and a desperate bid to woo the voters whom they had neglected for four years. The Reserve Bank of India had pointed out that the small and marginal loans amounted only to an extent of Rs 23,200 crore, he pointed out saying that the BJP, if returned to power, would have a relook on the issue to ensure that genuine farmers got the benefit.

UNI SR MSP TS1318