Former Congress president and MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday rolled out a road map for 2023 Assembly elections in Karnataka for his party by setting a target of winning at least 150 seats and underlining the need for unity to achieve it.
“We have to be clear that we will not aim to win the election with a close margin... So we should start our calculations to get 150 seats,” Mr. Gandhi said while addressing KPCC office-bearers, MPs, MLAs, MLCs, and former legislators at a meeting organised to prepare the party for the polls. Newly enrolled members participated in the meeting in virtual mode.
In his 15-minute address, he underlined the need for unity and working collectively to senior leaders for the party’s victory. “Winning 150 seats is not a difficult task if we think together, if we fight together, if we fight on the right issues, if we guarantee merit as the criteria for candidates, our leaders and for workers,” he said.
In 1989, the Congress had won 178 out of 224 seats in the Assembly elections and this is still a record for the State. In the 2018 Assembly elections, the BJP secured 104 seats while the Congress bagged 78, and the JD(S) won 37 seats.
‘Spirit of Congress’
“Karnataka always has had the spirit of the Congress. This is a natural Congress State,” Mr. Gandhi said and attacked the ruling BJP which secured power in an “unethical” way in 2019. “The current BJP Government is not a legitimate government. It is a government which was made using financial resources,” he alleged.
Focusing on three principles – securing a decisive victory by winning 150 seats, distribution of ticket based on merit and reward for workers who have been loyal and effectively working for the party – Mr. Gandhi said: “I do feel that it is very important we promote people based on the service they have done to the party,” he said, adding that people should not be promoted based on individual likes and dislikes. “A new Congress should start from Karnataka,” Mr. Gandhi said.
Speaking on choice of candidates, he said: “I don’t think we should be deciding ticket based on the past history of what a person did 20 years ago. I think we should be based on the work the person is doing today. If that person is loyal to the party, if that person is giving good representation to the party, then the party should reward the person and give a relevant position in the party,” he told senior leaders.
Work in tandem
Mr. Gandhi appealed to Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, and KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar to work in tandem “to bring the party to power by winning not one seat less than 150.” He also told senior leaders to give adequate representation to women and youth in the party.
He stepped up attack on the Narendra Modi-led Government and said demonetisation, faulty GST, and high inflation had ruined the economy and small and medium businesses. Unemployment and corruption were rampant in the country, he said.
Noticing a 40% commission charge made by the State Contractors’ Association against the State Government, he said: “Karnataka will laugh if Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks of eliminating corruption now.” On electoral polarisation, he said, “The BJP divides people on religious and caste lines and we unite them.”
