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Addressing the news conference on Friday, BJP District President Monappa Bhandary said that the day train is the reward for the struggle staged by BJP and people from coastal Karnataka.
He opined that BJP had worked harder than the ruling party at the centre to get the day-train sanctioned for the region and in this quest it had met ministers concerned across the political spectrum convincing them about the need for the day-train.
Offering gratitude to Railway Minister Mamta Banerjee, Bhandary said that the train was materialised only due to continued efforts of CM B S Yediyurappa, MPs Sadananda Gowda, Nalin Kumar Katel, Minister K H Muniyappa, E Ahmed and State Government Special Representative Dhananjay Kumar. He said that BJP opposes the proposal for extension of Mangalore-Bangalore train to Kannur as it is understood that with the extension of this service all facilities too will be shifted to Kannur.
Cong claims
“The UPA Government has made the ‘day dream’ a reality by introducing a day-train between Mangalore and Bangalore. It is only because of the political will of UPA that the train has been introduced,” said District Congress Committee President B Ramanath Rai.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Rai said that the party would put all-out efforts to convert the train, which would run thrice a week, into a daily one. “District did not receive any notable contributions even when a BJP MP was representing the region in the NDA government. Meanwhile, it was during Congress regime that MRPL, Konkan Railway, NH four-laning, Mangalore-Bangalore night train and day train was sanctioned for the region,” Rai claimed.
Hinting at BJP, Rai said “now there will be people who may try to grab the credit of introducing a day train for their publicity.” To a query as to what the party stand on the proposal of extending the Bangalore - Mangalore train to Kannur, Rai said, “we had already declared our stand on the issue. Now a day train has been introduced on the route. Hence, there is need of a debate on that issue now.”