Congress comes up with a strategy for ZP, TP polls

As per the directions of the high command, activities have started in Congress, to bring back the party on the track of victory.

Credible sources in the party have said that the high command has directed the district Congress leaders to prepare strategies to win the upcoming Zilla Panchayat and Taluk Panchayat elections.

It can be recalled that Congress performed badly in the Lok Sabha, Legislative Assembly, Gram Panchayat, APMC, City Municipal Council and three Town Panchayat elections in the district.

Congress leaders are now making efforts to storm the strong fortress of BJP in the Zilla Panchayat and Taluk Panchayat polls.

It has been said that KPCC president D K Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah have asked the Congress leaders in the district to get into action towards the polls.

The elections could be announced at any time. The leaders should be prepared and there should not be any room for ambiguity, they opined.

Leaders from the Kodagu district Congress recently took part in a meeting convened by the top leaders of the party in Bengaluru.

District Congress president Dharmaja Uttappa, MLC Veena Achaiah, AICC Legal and Human Rights Cell state president A S Ponnanna, KPCC spokesperson H S Chandramouli, former minister B A Jeevijaya, former minister Suma Vasanth, district Congress former president K K Manjunath Kumar, AICC leader Brijesh Kalappa and Congress block committee president Navin, Ranji Poonacha, B B Satish, B S Ananth Kumar and Kottamudi Hamda were part of the meeting.

The Congress leaders in the district have been told that the party high command has been keeping track of the political developments in Kodagu. The high command has felt the need for a stronger action to maintain the coordination between the leaders during the elections. All members of the party have been told to strive towards the victory of the candidates.

The meeting gathered significance in the wage of the upcoming Assembly elections as well. Many people have been lobbying for tickets to contest from the party. However, the high command has asked the leaders to focus on strengthening the party first.

After the meeting in Bengaluru, follow-up meetings are being held by the Congress leaders, in various parts of the district.

District Congress Committee working president Dharmaja Uttappa said that important decisions were made during the meeting in Bengaluru. The senior leaders have issued directions to form pro-people movements.

Meetings in this regard have been convened in Birunani, Maldare and Chenayyanakote. Hundreds of members have joined the Congress party on the occasion, he added.

Dharmaja Uttappa said that Kodagu is a district with a difference. There are issues that are particular to the region.

The elected representatives have not been able to come up with permanent solutions to issues such as elephant-human conflict, bad rural roads, non-payment of compensation for flood victims and so on. Focusing on these issues, pro-people movements will be carried out by the Congress party, he added.

Former minister and former leader from the JD(S), B A Jeevijaya, had joined the Congress last year.

The Congress leaders opine that Jeevijaya joining Congress has strengthened the party further.

Napanda Muttappa who had contested independently after emerging as a rebel out of Congress has now joined JD(S). This might result in a loss of votes for Congress, according to some leaders.