The Hindu : Kannada Nadu for development sans bias

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 03, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Kannada Nadu for development sans bias

By Our Special Correspondent

HUBLI, APRIL 2. Kannada Nadu, the political party launched by Vijay Sankeshwar, has vowed to work towards ushering in a "new, self-respecting Karnataka" that would meet the aspirations of the younger generation. This has been made clear in the party manifesto released unostentatiously by Mr. Sankeshwar, former BJP MP for Dharwad North, who is a leading goods transport operator and owner of two dailies, Vijaya Karnataka in Kannada, and Vijay Times in English.

Kannada Nadu has been the first party to release its manifesto in the State. The manifesto was published in Vijaya Karnataka, which is the largest circulated Kannada daily. "Our aim is to lead the State on the path of development, without giving scope for any kind of discrimination on the basis of borders, regions," Mr. Sankeshwar has said.

His party, if voted to power, would work for the integrated development of the State and implement the Nanjundappa Committee report on the removal of regional imbalances, he has said.

The NDA Government at the Centre and the Congress Government in Karnataka had failed to safeguard the interests of the State. The policy of discrimination practised by the Centre coupled with the apathy of the State Government had dealt a deleterious blow to development.

On the relevance of regional parties in the State, Mr. Sankeshwar has said that it is true that many regional parties perished shortly after they were launched. But this happened because of vindictiveness, narrow vision, favouritism and nepotism on the part of the leaders.

But his party was differently placed. It would work with `service to the people' as the motto, he has said.

On agriculture, the Kannada Nadu has said that it would help farmers in times of distress, ensure remunerative prices for their produce, provide seeds, fertilizers and irrigation pumpsets at subsidised rates, cheaper rates of interests and suitable compensation for losses caused by natural calamities.

Besides harnessing youth power and improving the field of education, the Kannada Nadu has promised to provide 50 per cent reservation for women and ban online lotteries.

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