The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : ‘Only seven Congress rebels in first phase’

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Tuesday, Apr 29, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

‘Only seven Congress rebels in first phase’

Special Correspondent

Bangalore: All India Congress Committee general secretary B.K. Hariprasad on Monday brushed aside the suggestion that the rebels would pose any problem to the official candidates in the coming Assembly elections.

Speaking to reporters, he said that of 28 candidates in the 11 districts, who rebelled against the official candidates and filed nomination papers as independents, 21 had withdrawn from the race and only seven were in the fray. He said rebels did not withdraw in Gauribidnur, Chickaballapur, Malur, Shantinagar, Bangalore South, Sarvajna Nagar and Jayanagar.

Mr. Hariprasad said Gujarat in no way could be a model to Karnataka in development as suggested by that State’s Chief Minister Narendra Modi at Puttur.

Karnataka had scored over Gujarat in sectors such as higher education, information technology and agriculture, he said.

While Gujarat had 15,000 engineering seats, 56,000 students got admission into professional courses in the State.

He said while a majority of the 5.5 crore Gujaratis were in abject poverty, there were only five industrialists, who were allowed to make billions in that State.

Asked about the exodus from the Congress in the State, Mr. Hariprasad termed them “migratory birds” about whom the party was not serious.

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