The Hindu : Karnataka News : Rahul Gandhi’s Karnataka tour turns into poll campaign

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Sunday, Mar 30, 2008
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Karnataka

Rahul Gandhi’s Karnataka tour turns into poll campaign

Special Correspondent

Kharge promises rice at Rs. 3 a kg, unemployment allowance and houses for poor

— Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi having a word with the former Maharashtra Governor, S.M. Krishna, at the State Youth Congress rally held in Bangalore on Saturday.

BANGALORE: The Youth Congress rally addressed by All India Congress Committee general secretary Rahul Gandhi here on Saturday before winding up his five-day “Discover India” State tour was virtually a launch of the party’s poll campaign with leaders making a slew of promises to the people.

Although Mr. Gandhi did not make any reference to elections or criticise his political opponents, the Congress leaders used the platform for making speeches reminiscent of election campaign. At a well attended rally at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee grounds in Byatarayanapura, Mr. Gandhi said that people of Karnataka needed a “stable government with a vision”. They needed a government that could implement pro-poor schemes such as the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. KPCC president M. Mallikarjun Kharge promised that the Congress would provide houses to 15 lakh poor families in five years if voted to power, rice at Rs. 3 a kg and continue the farm loan scheme.

He took exception to the criticism by political opponents that Mr. Gandhi was in Karnataka for election campaigning. He said Mr. Gandhi’s visit had nothing to do with elections and it was finalised two months ago.

KPYCC president Krishna Byre Gowda, who accompanied Mr. Gandhi on his five-day tour, presented him a Mysore peta (turban) and a sword on behalf of the youth Congress.

Mr Gandhi launched the State Youth Congress’s monthly newsletter Karnataka Yuva Sandesha on the occasion.

Mr. Gandhi said he had a dream for children of Karnataka. “My dream is that no child in Karnataka, irrespective of its economic, community and religious background, should feel that it is lonely or orphan.”

He hailed the people of Karnataka for showing the country the way forward.

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