With youngsters leaving Congress over the last one year, veteran party leader and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday cautioned the party about young turks leaving the party and causing damage in the elections.
He was speaking at a function where MLA and former Minister M.B. Patil took charge as the State Congress campaign committee chairperson.
Mr. Kharge, who became Minister in his mid-thirties in the Devaraj Urs Government in 1978, said the Congress should promote youth leaders to bring the party back to power in the State and Centre. “Gopala Krishna Gokhale became AICC president at 39, Rajiv Gandhi at 41… When AICC people can go to top posts at this age, why can we not give youngsters a chance in good positions in the State?” he asked. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi became the AICC president at the age of 42 in 1959, he pointed out.
Many youth leaders and party workers graduate from medical colleges and engineering colleges such as AIIMS and IITs established by the Congress, but they now stand against seniors and question them, he said.
‘40% commission government’
In his address, Randeep Singh Surjewala, AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka, took on the State Government led by Basavaraj Bommai on the “40% commission” charge made by the Karnataka State Contractors’ Association. “A 40% commission Bommai-led government rules Karnataka today,” Mr. Surjewala said.
In July, 2021, the contractors’ association wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi complaining that they were forced to pay 40% kickbacks in execution of contract works in the major departments of the government. Mr Surjewala gave a call to throw out the “40% commission” government, saying that the stench of corruption has reached its zenith. The Congress leader sought to know why Mr. Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were silent on the issue and urged them to act.
KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar said the party would go to polls under the collective leadership and blamed the BJP for dividing the society on communal lines.
Mr. Patil recalled the welfare schemes implemented by the Congress Government and expressed confidence in the party returning to power.
