The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Bangarappa to come back to State politics

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Monday, Nov 26, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Bangarappa to come back to State politics

Special Correspondent

The SP leader has decided to contest the Assembly polls

He will not be contesting from Sorab
Samajwadi Party to go it alone in polls

Bangalore: Asserting that his party was ready for Assembly elections, president of the State unit of the Samajwadi Party S. Bangarappa has said that candidates will be fielded in all the 224 constituencies.

Mr. Bangarappa told presspersons after holding a meeting of the party’s district presidents and office-bearers here on Sunday that he would return to State politics by contesting the elections.

Declaring that his son Madhu Bangarappa would contest from the Sorab constituency, the Samajwadi Party leader said he would fight the election from some other constituency.

Mr. Bangarappa said his party would not have tie-up with any outfit.

Meets Prakash

The party, however, was not averse to accepting like-minded political leaders and workers who believed in socialist values to its fold, he said.

Mr. Bangarappa held preliminary talks with Janata Dal (Secular) leader M.P. Prakash and others on Saturday.

He said he had been interacting with many senior politicians, including former Ministers, MLAs and MLCs.

Mr. Bangarappa said the BJP and Janata Dal (S) had lost credibility and they had exposed themselves. The Congress had also become a laughing stock.

The situation was ripe for his party to be on the centre stage of State politics, Mr. Bangarappa said.

Referring to the deliberations at the party meeting, the former Chief Minister said it had been decided to strengthen the organisation.

Replying to questions, Mr. Bangarappa said he would tour the entire State before organising the party’s regional conference on a grand scale.

Poll planning

Soon after the meeting, Mr. Bangarappa held a marathon district-wise in-camera interactive session on poll planning and the prospects of the Samajwadi Party, according to sources.

In view of the political drama in the State from October 3 to November 19, the impact of it on the people and the urgent need to restore political stability, the interaction session reportedly felt that the former Chief Minister had good chances to lead the party towards the desired goal.

His image of being a champion of the backward classes and minorities, besides his “proven conviction” for the cause of the State’s waters, land and language issue were bound give a political edge to the party, sources in the party said.

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