Cong should hold organisational elections

Sir, This has reference to the introspection sessions conducted by the Congress to find out the causes of the Gujarat debacle. In spite of the large people attending  election rallies, the party could not convert it into votes. The main reason for this is the lack of grass root workers. The importance given to  defectors is another reason for this defeat.
For the past few years, the Congress has not been able to conduct organisational elections in Gujarat. The people who campaigned against party earlier will neither inspire the Congress workers nor bring credibility to its policies. Leaders must represent workers. Defectors, who have nothing to uphold other than their individual positions at the cost of party  values, should not represent the Congress. The emergence of local leaders who reflect the true sentiments of the workers will only help them to regain their lost glory.

K Vittal Shetty
Bangalore

Not surprising

Sir, The Congress defeat in Gujarat was not surprising. Since the last parliament elections, the Congress has had a series of reverses. The party is in introspection mood but the reason for its rejection by the people is not far to see. Sonia Gandhi and the Nehru-Gandhi peg that the Congress has hung its fortunes on, are a drag on the party.
They have to break free of this fatal dependence to gain the respect and trust of the people. They should also try to bring back leaders such as Sharad Pawar, P A Sangma and Mamata Banerjee to their fold.

Hero Vaz
Bangalore

Development agenda

Sir, Narendra Modi’s victory in Gujarat should teach a lesson or two to the Congress leadership as far as political acumenship is concerned. It is Modi’s personal charisma as a defender of Hindutva which has worked wonders and the Congress should think beyond its secular rhetoric to defeat Modi in Gujarat.
With the Congress lacking an agenda of its own for the development of the state, people of Gujarat feel happy with Modi as long as he delivers, with or without the Hindutva face.

Divakar N
Mysore

Dynastic politics

Sir, Defying all predictions and opinion polls, Narendra Modi returned triumphant in Gujarat. For the Congress, the harsh reality is that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi cannot win elections for them.
The Congress has lost in all the states after it came to power in the Centre in 2004 . In Bihar, UP and now in Gujarat the party used the Gandhis as their mascots but fared miserably which  has exposed the limits of dynastic charisma.

Bhartendu Sood
Chandigarh

Bad roads

Sir, Almost all the roads between Bangalore and Mangalore are in a terrible shape for the past six months. No repair work has been going on those highways. The roads to Mangalore  via Shiradi Ghat, via Charmadi, via Bisile and via Mysore-Madikeri-Sulya-Puttur are all in a pathetic state. The authorities should look into matter and try to start  repair work as early as possible.

Shamsundar K
Mangalore

Safety walls

Sir, Providing swimming pool in the apartment is the main cause for the death of 4-year-old boy in Bangalore on December 23. The builders should not have had a swimming pool especially in the  building.
Neither was there a security guard in the building  nor precautionary measuress taken to avoid such incidents.
A protective fence around the swimming pool would have saved the child from drowning. Apartment owners should take this issue seriously.

R Jagannath
Bangalore

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