Congress chalks out public outreach plan in poll-bound Karnataka

The Congress on Monday chalked out an extensive outreach plan in Karnataka where assembly polls are slated for mid-2023 and will take out a yatra through all 224 constituencies over the next 50 days.

The party also decided to hold conventions-cum-rallies for Scheduled Castes, backward classes and different regions starting December 30.

The decisions to hold extensive outreach programmes were chalked out at a meeting of party leaders from the state with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

AICC general secretary in-charge for Karnataka Randeep Surjewala and AICC general secretary organisation KC Venugopal attended the meeting, besides Congress Legislature Party leader Siddharamaiah, state party president D K Shivakumar and working presidents.

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Surjewala later told reporters that the Congress president has been holding deliberations on election preparedness with leaders, legislators and MPs from the southern state.

"We have framed an extensive roadmap for championing and raising people's voice against the corrupt, 40 percent commission sarkar led by Basavaraj Bommai, and how to set a developmental roadmap of progress, prosperity and a new dawn for Karnataka," Surjewala told reporters.

He said the outreach programmes would be held over the next 75 days.

"As assembly session will be held in Karnataka during this month...we have decided to hold a big convention. The BJP has betrayed the people of Bijapur...on the issue of irrigation, drinking water of the Krishna. On December 30, a huge convention-cum-rally will be held in Bijapur," he said.

Another convention will be held in Hubli on January 2, focussing on the Mahadayi river water issue.

"There will also be a huge rally and convention in Humpi. The BJP governments at the Centre and in Karnataka have betrayed the SC/ST communities and on January 8, a huge congregation and rally will be held in Chitradurga. Similarly, there will be a backward class convention, the date of which will be decided later," the Congress leader said.

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In the first week of January, he said, the party will begin a yatra which will cover all district headquarters and all 224 assembly constituencies of Karnataka within a period of 45 to 50 days, the schedule of which will be finalised after internal discussions.

Asked about the BJP's charge of infighting in the Congress, Surjewala said what is most important is to free the state from BJP rule.

"We only see Karnataka's progress and not any post. Our leaders are capable and competent to lead the state. There is no war going on for any post. That is a figment of imagination of a few political people only.... I reject any such tussle or bitterness. We will work unitedly, we will fight unitedly and we will win Karnataka unitedly," the Congress general secretary said.

The Rajya Sabha MP also said the party has already taken a call that the state election committee will be announced by Tuesday evening and short-listing of candidates will begin thereafter.

The Congress has been seeking to oust the BJP from power in the southern state