Congress to go at BJP 'misrule' hammer and tongs

The State Congress on Wednesday decided to mount an aggressive campaign against the BJP in the BBMP polls, highlighting the maladministration during the saffron party’s rule between 2010 and 2015.

At a meeting of the Congress leaders, held at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s home office Krishna, it was decided to launch an offensive against the BJP. Scams, issues such as disposal of garbage, reckless borrowings, pending bills of contractors and infrastructure inadequacies should be attributed to the misrule of the BJP by carrying out a systematic campaign, the leaders decided in the meeting.

State Congress president G Parameshwara, five ministers from Bengaluru and other party leaders participated in the meeting. The party chief also appraised the chief minister of the preparations being made for the polls. Siddaramaiah could not attend a meeting convened by Parameshwara at the KPCC office on Tuesday to discuss the poll preparations, the party sources said.

The five ministers from Bengaluru – K J George, Ramalinga Reddy, Roshan Baig, Dinesh Gundu Rao and Krishna Byre Gowda – have been asked to prepare a ‘charge sheet’ against the BJP. A panel of 16 spokespersons appointed recently by the party should ensure that information in the charge sheet reaches people, besides countering the BJP’s campaign, the sources added.

Siddaramaiah is learnt to have said that the BJP leaders were trying to shift the blame on the Congress for all the ills of Bengaluru. The Congress should not become defensive to the BJP’s attack. A lot has charged in the way the BBMP is governed ever since the Congress came to power in 2013. The party should highlight the measures taken by the government, he suggested.

The leaders decided to lay emphasis on block-level campaign, instead of holding big rallies or roadshows. Ministers in charge of each of the assembly constituencies should plan the campaign in co-ordination with senior leaders. Siddaramaiah promised to spend as much time as he can for the campaign after August 10, the last date for filing of nomination papers for the polls scheduled for August 22, the sources said. Later speaking to reporters, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said the first list of about 100 candidates will be released after the screening committee meeting of the party scheduled to be held on Thursday. Parameshwara will chair the panel meeting and the chief minister and other members will participate.