Stop BJP from coming to power, Venugopal tells Congmen

'Shun differences, ensure Cong victory in 2018 Assembly polls'

Newly appointed AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal on Monday said the aim of the Congress is to stop the BJP from coming to power and ensure the Congress’ victory in the 2018 Ássembly elections in the state.

“The Congress workers should shun all differences among themselves and work towards stopping the BJP from coming to power in Karnataka. The Congress should win the next Assembly elections...This is our aim,” he said while addressing the party workers at the KPCC office here. He was speaking after being felicitated on his first visit to the party office after assuming charge as AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka.

The Congress has taken it as a challenge to win the next Assembly elections in Karnataka. Hence, priority has been given to strengthening the party from the grossroots level. “Differences among the leaders are common in all political parties. But unlike other parties there are no factions in the Congress. The party can win the 2018 polls by making a united effort, he added.

He praised the party government headed by Siddaramaiah, saying that it has been doing good work. Steps should be taken to inform people of the achievements of the government. The party cannot expect good results in the elections unless people are educated about the initiatives taken by the government, he said, adding that he has witnessed this in Kerala. Venugopal is a Congress MP from Alappuzha in Kerala and the party’s deputy whip in the Lok Sabha.

‘K’taka, a saviour for Cong’
Venugopal, who is a close confidant of Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, said Karnataka had been a saviour for the Congress whenever it was in crisis; the Congress had won in Karnataka in 1978 though it had done badly across the country. The BJP’s dream of making the country free of Congress will never come true, he added.

He said he has come to Bengaluru not to advise, but to assist the state leaders in preparing for the next Assembly polls.
DH News Service

To take house on rent in city
K C Venugopal is likely to take a house on rent in Bengaluru as he has decided to visit the state frequently till the Assembly elections in 2018.

Sources in the Congress said the party is looking for an independent house for Venugopal so that he can use it as his home office. Besides, Venugopal is planning to establish what is called “war room” to prepare the party for the 2018 elections, the sources said.

Each of four AICC secretaries has been made in-charge of each of the four revenue divisions of the state. They will tour their respective divisions in the coming days to get the feedback on party works, the sources said.