Bengaluru: Hitting out at Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government in Karnataka, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Sunday said people of the poll-bound southern state have endured misgovernance in the last four years.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Sunday, Tharoor said when there is misgovernance and "there is nothing to see", people inevitably wonder what they need the government for.
"When there is misgovernance and there is nothing to see, people inevitably wonder what they need the government for. People are interested very much in seeing the Congress as a respectable alternative to the misgovernance they've endured in the last 4 years," said Tharoor.
He said there are essential needs of the people that have not been met by the BJP government and the Congress has already come up with specific promises to fulfil people's needs. The Congress MP said IT investment in the state has been plummeting for the last 3-4 years.
"Bengaluru has such great potential. It is so sad that the city, which was evidently the most favoured destination for IT investment till a few years ago, has seen investments plummeting over the last 3-4 years," he said.
On Sharad Pawar's statement that there was no need for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Hindenburg-Adani row, he said that NCP chief's logic can be understood as the ruling party will have a 50 per cent majority in the panel, if one is formed to probe the claims against the Adani Group.
"His (Sharad Pawar) logic can be understood because the rule for constituting a JPC is that the ruling party will be part of it, and above 50 per cent of members in the JPC will be from the NDA, if one is formed. But we still want the Opposition to ask questions and seek answers and evidence through the JPC. The NCP stood with us in the Parliament and during our protest march to Vijay Chowk," said Thaoor.
With the Karnataka Assembly polls drawing near, a meeting of senior Congress leaders regarding the selection of candidates for the Karnataka elections will be held at party president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence this evening. Rahul Gandhi is likely to attend this meeting.
The Congress is yet to announce the names of candidates for 58 seats. The Congress, on March 25, announced its first list of 124 candidates for the Assembly polls. The list included former chief minister Siddaramaiah and the party's state president DK Shivakumar.
Elections in Karnataka are slated to be held in a single phase on May 10 and the counting of votes will be held on May 13. Former chief minister Siddaramaiah will be contesting from the Varuna constituency while DK Shivakumar has been fielded in Kanakapura.
Siddaramaiah had expressed his interest to contest from the Kolar constituency but the Congress High Command instructed him to drop the plan following disagreements between the party's local leaders in the constituency. The party has fielded M Roopakala from the Kolar Gold Field constituency.
The ruling BJP currently holds a majority in the Assembly with 119 seats while the Congress and the JD(S) have 75 and 28 seats respectively. All three key political players in the state -- BJP, Congress and the JD(S) -- have been exchanging barbs as their poll campaign moves through the gears. The latter are attempting to corner the ruling BJP on the issue of corruption.
The model code of conduct is currently in force in the state. (ANI)
