Karnataka - Madikeri   

Congress will consider lifting ban on arrack sale: Poojary

Making a point: Congress leader B. Janardhana Poojary, addressing presspersons in Madikeri on Monday.

Madikeri: The Congress has not projected any one as Chief Minister like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), party leader B. Janardhana Poojary has said.

Addressing presspersons here on Monday, he said that the Congress was sure to romp home this time around. He criticised the BJP-Janata Dal (S) coalition Government saying that the sale of IML had gone up manifold after the ban on sale of arrack. If the Congress came to power, it would consider lifting the ban. The coalition Government should have banned all kinds of liquor, he said.

Mr. Poojary said that BJP did not have a proper constitution of its own, and added the party had conceded defeat in Karnataka even before the elections. Referring to the recent survey, which had predicted simple majority for the Congress, he said the party would win more seats than what was predicted.

The BJP could muster more seats in the State in the last elections because the former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee had canvassed for it. The influence of S. Bangarappa, who was then with the BJP, had worked in four districts. Besides, the Janata Dal (United) was also with the BJP, he said. The Congress had secured 36 per cent of the votes, followed by the BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular) with 28 per cent and 20 per cent respectively. Mr. Poojary alleged that more terrorist attacks had taken place when L.K. Advani was Union Home Minister.

The former Chief Minister Yeddyurappa should have the courage to fight the likes of S. Bangarappa in Shikaripur, instead of cribbing over Congress support to the latter. He criticised Mr. Yeddyurappa’s claim that “Modi model of Government” would be installed in Karnataka.

Trading of bribery charges against each other by the BJP and the JD(S) and anti-incumbency factor would work in favour of the Congress, he said.

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