A teary-eyed B Janardhan Poojary, senior Congress leader, receiving the first copy of the party’s election manifesto from party chief Rahul Gandhi in Mangaluru on Friday | RAJESH SHETTY BALLALBAGH
MANGALURU: Congress president Rahul Gandhi, releasing the party’s election manifesto in Mangaluru on Friday, became the first party president to do so in the state. It was also for the first time that the party’s manifesto was released outside Bengaluru. Speaking on the occasion, Rahul Gandhi declared that the manifesto contained “Man Ki Baat” of the people of state.
“This manifesto is unlike Prime Minister’s Mann Ki Baat, where he reveals what he likes to do,’’ Rahul stressed, while symbolically releasing the manifesto at TMA Pai International Convention Centre here on Friday. Rahul Gandhi, while addressing party workers, said it was not an election manifesto but the “voice of Karnataka”. Taking a dig at BJP, he said unlike the saffron party’s manifesto decided by three BJP leaders inside a closed-room, the Congress manifesto is the expectations of people from the government. The manifesto committee had interacted with communities at block and district level, in order to listen to what is good for them, he said.
This is the philosophy which separates Congress from its opponents, he said. Taking potshots at the BJP, he said the saffron party’s manifesto was not of people of Karnataka, but of the RSS. “The BJP’s manifesto is what they think is good for Karnataka. Their manifesto includes corruption and about Reddy brothers,” he charged. The party manifesto has stood up to the ideals of philosopher Basavanna, Rahul said. “True to Basavanna’s saying, ‘Nudidanthe Nade’, 95% of assurances made five years ago have been implemented,’’ he added. Rahul described his visits to Karnataka for past three months “as an enlightening experience”. “Having implemented 99% of the programmes listed in the Budget, this government does not face any anti-incumbency,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said.
