‘Who’ll be CM unimportant, it’s an ideological battle for Cong’ People in BJP unhappy due to corruption: Cong leader Saleem Ahmed

By Yukta Mudgal

Congress and JD(S) have begun releasing their lists of candidates for the May 10 elections to the legislative assembly. Amidst defections, corruption charges and politics of freebies, Saleem Ahmed, KPCC working president and MLC, spoke with The Observer.

Excerpts from an interview:

Q:There are multiple Congress aspirants for seats due to defections from other parties. How is the party handling the competition?

A:There are three to six people per seat. But we take decisions about a candidate in consultation with MLAs. We shortlist candidates, send the list to the screening committee. Then party leaders like Mohan Prakash and Randeep Singh Surjewala will scrutinize the list. We understand that those who are not shortlisted will be unhappy for some time. We check track records to find the best candidates that fit the party’s interests.

Q:The BJP, which has not announced any list of candidates, has said some seats in their list of candidates will give a “surprise result”. How do you see this?

A:There’s no demand for the BJP; many want to join the Congress. They don’t have enough candidates as all are coming to the Congress. People inside the BJP are unhappy because of too much corruption. Recently, Virupaksha (a BJP MLA) was arrested. They just keep quiet. We can see a wave of Democrats in Karnataka.This time, for sure, the Congress will win. What is their (the BJP’s) achievement? No houses, no employment, and too much inflation.

Q. The Congress coined the “40 per cent commission” slogan against the BJP. How will it eliminate corruption?

A:When we were in power, we had no corruption charges. In the BJP’s time, contractors protested against them. They have made Karnataka a corruption capital. We will change Karnataka’s image. Many contractors, like Santosh Patil, committed suicide. Contractors wrote to the President saying they could not pay commissions to ministers like Eshwarappa. Our party will work for development. We’ll announce 200 units of free electricity and start an inquiry into corruption after the first cabinet (meeting). yukta.m@iijnm.org

Q: Besides JD(S) and BJP, AAP is also in the fray. How do you see it?

A:This is a fight between the Congress and the BJP. We don’t see AAP as a contender. In Delhi, there was only one opposition to AAP which is why they won. But in Karnataka, there are multiple parties and they can’t win.

Q: Who is be the candidate to be chief minister: D.K. Shivakumar or Siddaramaiah?

A: We are fighting an ideological battle. Our aim is to remove this corrupt government. The CM face is not our concern. It will be decided by the high command in consultation with all the MLAs.

Q: When will the Congress release its third list of candidates?

A. We will announce the third list after Mr Rahul Gandhi’s visit on April 10 to Kolar, where he will address a Satyamev Jayate rally.

Khajuraho – Madhya Pradesh

Khajuraho is one of the selected Seven Wonders in India, known for its cluster of marvelous Hindu & Jain temple structures and their jaw-dropping statuettes. The spectacular artwork and sculptures depicting supreme romance and eternal love is not only acclaimed in India but also worldwide. The temples at Khajuraho were built during the Chandella dynasty, which reached its apogee between 950 and 1050. Only 20 temples remain; they fall into three distinct groups and belong to two different religions – Hinduism and Jainism. They strike a perfect balance between architecture and sculpture. The Temple of Kandariya is decorated with a profusion of sculptures that are among the greatest masterpieces of Indian art. The Khajuraho Group of Monuments demonstrates the pinnacle of temple architectural in northern India.

Source: UNESCO

Quiz

1.In which year was Pulitzer Prize established?

2. Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2000 was awarded to the former President of South Africa along with?

3. The first Indira Gandhi Award for International Justice and Harmony has been given to?

4. Eritrea, which became the 182nd member of the UN in 1993, is in the continent of?

5. First human heart transplant operation conducted by Dr. Christiaan Barnard on Louis Washkansky, was conducted in?

6. Which was the 1st non Test playing country to beat India in an international match?

7. Track and field star Carl Lewis won how many gold medals at the 1984 Olympic Games?

8. The name of the Laccadive, Minicoy and Amindivi islands was changed to Lakshadweep by an Act of Parliament in?

Answer on Page 4