Cong adopts 'stability' as main poll plank

Bangalore, Mar 21 (UNI) KPCC president Mallikarjuna Kharge and former Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna today announced that 'stability' would be the main plank for the party in the coming Assembly elections.

At a press conference here, the two leaders said the people of Karnataka were longing for a stable government and the Congress was ready to provide it.

Mr Krishna assumed charge as party coordination committee chairman today while former Deputy Chief Minister Siddramaiah took over as the Campaign Committee Chairman at the KPCC office here.

Mr Krishna, who recently quit as Maharashtra Governor and returned to state politics, said the people had seen the pitfalls of coalition politics during the last three years and were eager to see political stability in the state.

Recalling several pro-people programmes initiated during his regime, he said those programmes were launched in such a way that all of them were institutionalised and proved to be sustainable for many years.

Mr Siddramaiah said the state's economy had been rated as one of the most stable in the country and steps taken by Mr Krishna as Chief Minister was responsible for this achievement.

Stating that the coming elections would be fought by the party under collective leadership, without any leader aspiring for any position, he said the Congress was the only political party in the state that was capable of fielding its candidates in all the 224 Assembly segments.

Denying that the party was divided on several issues, Mr Siddramaiah said, ''We have remained united and will fight the coming elections to bring the party to the pedestal of power.'' Stating that the Congress was ready to face elections and the election campaign would be launched shortly, Mr Kharge said all the committees would function with cohesion under the guidance of the KPCC and party observer for Karantaka Prithviraj Chavan as announced by the party high command.

UNI MV RS KD GC1830