With the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka seemingly on the right track now, the Congress today begun preparations for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with an intention of defeating the 'communal forces.'
As a first step, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee held discussions with candidates who were defeated in the May 12 assembly polls to introspect about the reasons for the loss and to strengthen the party for the future.
The meeting was attended by former Chief Minister and Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and newly appointed KPCC chief Dinesh Gundu Rao.
"For the coming Lok Sabha elections we have to fight with new vigour and defeat the communal forces. To keep them out of power, we have formed a coalition government with JD(S)," Siddaramaiah told reporters after the meeting.
He said those present at the meeting raised some issues and he assured them that these would be taken up with the Ministers concerned or in the coordination committee.
With the May 12 assembly polls in Karnataka throwing up a hung verdict, Congress and JD(S) that had bitterly fought each other, forged an alliance to keep out BJP,which emerged as the single largest party, winning 104 of 224 seats.
Seat sharing between Congress and JD(S),that have decided to go together for Lok Sabha polls, is expected to be a major test for the coalition.
The Congress high command recently appointed Dinesh Gundu Rao as KPCC President and Easwar Khandre as the new working president. Both will assume charge on Wednesday.
Rao said the internal affairs of the party, reasons for the loss of party candidates in the election and steps on how to strengthen the party in future were discussed at the meet.
"They (candiates who lost) asked for development work in their respective constituencies. We have heard them..."
Sources said several candidates charged people within congress as being responsible for their defeat and blamed the state leadership for not acting on their complaints.
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