Karnataka - Udupi   

Congress on upswing in the State, says Oscar Fernandes

Udupi: Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Oscar Fernandes said on Monday that the fortunes of the Congress in the State, especially in coastal districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada, were on the upswing and it augured well for the coming Assembly elections.

Mr. Fernandes told presspersons here that the party had reached rock-bottom in the 2004 general elections. “We will go to villages and motivate our workers. We have to work hard to get a majority in the Assembly elections,” he said.

Stating that there was no disunity between him, Rajya Sabha member Janardhan Poojary and former Chief Minister M. Veerappa Moily, he said: “We are united and working hard to get people’s support. There may be some problems at the local level because of many aspirants for party ticket. But it is the case with other parties too.”

Asked how the Congress would take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) given the polarisation of votes in coastal districts, he said, “People are not communal. We will strengthen our organisation.”

Mr. Fernandes said there were no problems between the original Congress leaders and those who had joined the party from other parties.

On the voters’ list, he said the party wanted proper lists prepared before the Assembly elections as there were anomalies in the list. Asked why the Congress was not projecting its Chief Ministerial candidate, he said “The party high command decides such issues.”

On Rahul Gandhi’s electoral visit, he said Mr. Gandhi was coming here for assessing the condition of fishermen, tribal people and weaker sections in the region. “He will visit the State again before the Assembly elections.”

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