‘Priyanka will strengthen Congress’

Priyanka Gandhi taking over as the General Secretary of Indian National Congress, has given the party superpower status opined former union minister B Janardhana Poojary.

Addressing the media at Kudroli Gokarnanatha temple in Mangaluru on Thursday, he said that woman power was a great power. “This applies to the Congress too. People support Priyanka immensely as they see former PM Indira Gandhi in her. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is having sleepless nights. Congress will sweep the upcoming Lok Sabha polls under Priyanka Gandhi,” he added.

Reacting to a question on family-dominated politics in the Congress, Poojary replied that B S Yeddyurappa was doing the same in Karnataka.

‘Bad to worse’

To another query, he said that the political developments in Karnataka had turned from bad to worse. “Days are not far when people beat up politicians on the streets,” he claimed.

When asked whether he would contest the Lok Sabha elections, Poojary said that he was willing and would meet the party high command in Delhi in that regard soon.

“I will respect the high command’s decision. I am ready to campaign for any other candidate too.

“MLC Ivan D’Souza is not a befitting candidate for LS elections. The party won’t give him the ticket. Ramanath Rai shouldn’t have said that the Muslim vote bank alone is sufficient for him to win. I regard Veerappa Moily greatly because he introduced me to politics,” Poojary added.

Flaying Siddaramaiah, Poojary said that the latter would destroy the Congress. “The coalition government is sustaining not because of Siddaramaiah, but the efforts of H D Deve Gowda and H D Kumaraswamy. The state coalition government will complete its tenure,” he added.