The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Nothing official about it, says Kharge of political speculation

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Sunday, Oct 14, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Nothing official about it, says Kharge of political speculation

Special Correspondent

Appeals to media to refrain from baseless reports and opinions

— Photo: K. Gopinathan

Making an appeal: KPCC president M. Mallikarjun Kharge addressing a press conference in Bangalore on Saturday along with party leaders (from left) V.S. Ugrappa, Manjunath Bhandari and K.C. Kondaiah.

Bangalore: The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has urged the media not to give credence to “statements, releases and private talks” that have no official sanction.

KPCC president M. Mallikarjun Kharge told presspersons here on Saturday that the party had observed that many baseless reports, opinions, statements and analysis on various aspects of the present political situation in the State were appearing in the media, particularly in the print media. However, the Congress had not said anything on the issue officially, he stressed.

Seeks media support

“It may please be noted that only the high command of the party is empowered to state and clarify its position on the sensitive political questions pertaining to the formation of a new government, dissolution of the Legislative Assembly and the reasons behind keeping the Assembly in suspended animation. The AICC has instructed the rank and file of the party not to issue statements or hold press conferences without its approval. The party requests media support in avoiding confusion and chaos that will vitiate the political situation further,” Mr. Kharge said.

The party had instructed all party workers, including District Congress Committee presidents, to return to their constituencies instead of wasting their time in Bangalore. They had been asked to hold public contact programmes and inform people about the events that led to the present political situation.

The high command had also instructed them to concentrate on the coming elections to the Assembly and start campaigning for the purpose, Mr. Kharge said.

Asked whether the high command or the KPCC had no objections to the reported “closed door” talks between Union Minister of State M.V. Rajasekharan and the Governor Rameshwar Thakur, Mr. Kharge said that party members, irrespective of their position, had the freedom to meet the Governor seeking remedies for “public grievances”. On whether the Congress would demand the dissolution of the Assembly, he said there was no point in stating that the party was committed to seeking the dissolution of the House as it had repeatedly demanded that elections be held ever since the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Bharatiya Janata Party coalition came into existence. The dissolution of the Housed would have to be ratified by Parliament, he said.

On the political significance of Assembly Speaker Krishna deferring till October 17 his ruling on the petition to disqualify 39 MLAs of the JD(S) and issuing summons to JD(S) national president H.D. Deve Gowda, Mr. Kharge said only those concerned knew what they had in mind.

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