Rahul to launch Cong manifesto at mega event next month

Congress president Rahul Gandhi will release the party's election manifesto for the forthcoming Assembly elections, in what promises to be a gala event in Bengaluru next month.

The Congress manifesto will be a first-of-its-kind in India, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Manifesto Committee chairman and MP M Veerappa Moily said here on Thursday. "It has been decided that Rahul Gandhi will launch the manifesto sometime between March 10 and March 15," Moily announced after a meeting of the manifesto committee.

Moily, a former union minister, said the party's manifesto will have three parts. "We are coming out with district-specific, region-specific and state-level manifestos," he said, adding that the implementation of the manifesto will transform the lives of people.

"While Rahul will launch the manifesto in Bengaluru, there will be simultaneous launches in all 30 districts," he added. The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government has fulfilled 98% of the promises that were made in 2013, Moily claimed, including making Karnataka hut-free, hunger-free and thirst-free among others. When reporters asked him how many hut-dwellers had moved into proper homes, Moily could not substantiate. "A sub-committee was formed expressly to take up an impact assessment of the government's work. We have all the numbers," he said.

Ticket confusion

With polls nearing, many Congress leaders are learnt to have threatened to rebel if they are denied the ticket. This, even before the party is yet to get a report from its observers on aspirants who deserve the ticket. Ahead of Rahul's visit to Belagavi, a feud is brewing between Jarkiholi brothers Satish and Lakhan, with the latter expressing willingness to become a BJP candidate if he is not given   the ticket to contest from the Yamakanamardi (ST Reserve) constituency that Satish currently represents.  

Similarly, actor Bhavana has sought the ticket from the Chitradurga Assembly constituency, for which MLC G Raghu Achar is also vying.

There is also no clarity on whether or not the party will field seven MLAs who have jumped ship from the JD(S), including Chamarajpet legislator B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G Parameshwara downplayed the heat within the party. "It's not a fight. I see it as vibrancy. More people are seeking tickets because they know we are poised to retain power. There's josh in the party," he said.