Congress to invoke Indira’s legacy in Karnataka polls next year

Ruling Congress in Karnataka is planning to invoke the legacy of the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, one of its tallest leaders, in her centenary year as its seeks to retain power in next year's assembly polls.

The party will be celebrating Gandhi's hundredth birth anniversary in November by organising a string of activities including 'pada yatra (march)' in all the assembly segments under the title "Indiramma-100."

Announcing booth-to-state level activities in preparation to the assembly polls, the party said a "control room" would be set up at the party headquarters to monitor day-to-day progress in poll preparation work.

"... from November 1 to 18 in all the assembly constituencies, the party will organise pada yatra (march), during which we will try to apprise people of the achievements of the state government and failures of the (BJP-led) central government, along with Indira Gandhi's contributions," state Congress chief G Parameshwara said.

Stating that a mega event will be organised in the state capital on her birthday on November 19, he said "all these programmes will be held under the slogan 'Congress - serving masses, in the footsteps of Indira' and 'Indiramma-100'."

Parameshwara was speaking to reporters after the meeting of 171 newly appointed office bearers which was attended by general secretary in-charge of the state, KC Venugopal, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other party leaders.

Congress, which has announced Siddaramaiah as its face for the 2018 assembly polls, is also conducting a survey to collect data to help it select candidates and decide the electoral strategy.

The party on Friday allotted responsibilities to all the office bearers in the run up to assembly elections by appointing one vice-president as in-charge for each district.

Also, one or two general secretaries will be assigned for each district, and each secretary will be given the responsibility of two assembly constituencies.

Parmeshwara said party's two working presidents SR Patil and Dinesh Gundu Rao have been given responsibilities of two revenue divisions each.

While Patil will hold responsibility of Belagavi and Kalburgi divisions, Gundu Rao will take care of Mysuru and Bengaluru divisions.

Parameshwara also said, by August end, the party will be appointing booth level agents at about 70,000 booths in the state and will constitute booth committees, along with Panchayat and ward committees.

He said, from September onwards, the booth committees will start door-to-door campaign to highlight the achievements of the Congress government in the state and failures of the BJP- led government at the Centre.

"Our slogan for this door-to-door campaign will be: Congress march to people once again," he added.

The slogan (in Kannada), resembles similar exercise carried out by the party ahead of 2014 assembly polls.

Stating that the party will be organising district-level conferences in October, Parameshwara said after Indira Gandhi’s centenary celebrations in November “we will once again start our booth-level reach-out programme in December.”

He said “accountability” will be fixed for all office bearers and to monitor their activities a control room will be set up at the state headquarters.

The control room will also provide inputs and guidance to all the activities at the ground level.