A battery of senior Congress leaders addressed an election rally here on Sunday.
S.R. Patil, Minister for Information Technology, said that the Congress government had achieved several milestones in development. “Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has introduced schemes for the welfare of all sections of society, especially the poor, disadvantaged and farmers. We have introduced an attractive IT policy that is sure to promote the IT industry in the State,” he said.
More than 100 of the 164 assurances made by Congress before the Assembly polls had been fulfilled by the Chief Minister, Mr. Patil said.
Roshan Baig, Minister for Information, said that the Congress was the real secular party that was attempting the development of all communities.
Qamarul Islam, Minister for Minority Affairs and Wakf, said that the minority welfare measures taken up by the State government were considered the best in the country. He said the pace of development of the Congress government was making BJP leaders worry about their political future. Mr. Baig criticised the right-wing forces for trying to divide the country on communal lines.
Eshwar Khandre, MLA, described the Bidar bypoll as a fight between those who do and those who speak. “The Congress government is working for the welfare and development of all sections of society. It is wrong to limit its influences to only a few communities,” he said.
Oscar Fernandes, former Union Minister, said that the UPA government had amended Article 371 of the Constitution to ensure all-round development of Hyderabad Karnataka. He pointed out that Mr. Siddaramaiah had introduced several development schemes within 30 minutes of assuming the office.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, Vijay Singh, Eshwar Singh, Rajshekar Patil, Fatima Ali, Amrut Chimkode, Bakkappa Kote, Pandit Chidri, and Khaji Arshed Ali were present.
