Many BJP leaders may join Congress soon, says Rai

District-in-Charge Minister B Ramanath Rai said that the BJP has no issues to raise in Dakshina Kannada district. Hence, they are seeking votes on the basis of religion and caste.

Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, he expressed confidence about winning all the eight Assembly constituencies in Dakshina Kannada. After the BJP announced its first list of candidates, the dissatisfaction is visible among the leaders. "Many leaders in Dakshina Kannada are also in constant touch with the Congress and are likely to join the Congress after the lists are announced. There is no dissidence in the Congress."

"There is a Congress wave in Karnataka. The welfare programmes initiated by the Congress-led government in Karnataka will help the party to come back to power in the upcoming Assembly elections. We are not overconfident, but are instead active in the field. The BJP is engaged in stoking communal feelings as elections are nearing," Rai said.

Further, he said that people no longer need 'Mann ki baat' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Congress is engaged in listening to the people, he said.

Rai said that the atrocities on Dalits have increased after the BJP came to power in the country. People have lost faith in the banking system after the NDA introduced demonetisation and scams in banks.

The minister made a scathing attack on the NDA government for failing to check the rise in the price of petroleum products and also failed to get back the black money stashed in Swiss banks as promised during the Parliament election. Instead of waiving farmers' loans, the Centre has written off the loans borrowed by the industrialists and influential persons. In reply to a query on Congress wooing NRIs in Saudi Arabia, the minister said, "We went for a Congress programme. Kerala Pradesh Congress and other political parties in Kerala have their unit in Gulf."

On the EC declaring Bantwal and Mangaluru North constituencies as an expenditure-sensitive constituency, Rai refused to comment and added, "I have not done any act that would bring dishonour to the constituency."