The Congress is set to play catch-up with the ruling BJP by organising a series of tours by senior leaders, bike rallies and conventions in the run up to next year’s polls to the Legislative Assembly.
Briefing the media after a meeting with senior leaders and office bearers here, KPCC president, Dr G. Parameshwar said, “Four separate teams headed by prominent leaders, including leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Siddaramaiah, leader of Opposition in the Council, S.R. Patil, former working president of KPCC, D.K. Shivakumar, and myself will tour drought-hit regions for ten days beginning September 3.”
Each of these teams would submit detailed reports based on “hard facts” to the Union and state governments on the extent of damage wrought by acute drought in the state. These reports would incorporate inputs provided people living in the affected areas rather than parameters used by officers, he added. Asked why state Congress leaders were copying initiatives of other parties, Dr Parameshwar said, “One can not term our programmes as copied or inspired by someone else. As the principal Opposition party, we are setting the ball rolling for next Assembly elections. We have our ways and means to design our programmes and launch them at our own convenience.”
Besides, the leaders would embark on a joint tour across the state on the lines of “Panchajanya Yatra” of leaders ahead of the Assembly elections in 1999. “We have not decided the title yet, but we are planning to set out on October 2,” he said.