Ananth Kumar predicts early collapse of UPA government

Udupi, March 11: Bharatiya Janata Party General Secretary H N Ananth Kumar said on Saturday that the Congress was in a pathetic situation after the results of the five State Assembly elections were announced.

He told presspersons here that it would be no surprise if the UPA government collapses by the end of the budget session. New political realignments will take place at the Centre, he said.

He also said that the Congress president Sonia Gandhi had admitted that organisational weakness was responsible for the failure of the party in Uttar Pradesh.

The allies of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) were getting restive. The Congress had become a liability for the allies of the UPA and the country, Mr. Kumar said.

Bypoll

He said the BJP would win the bypoll to the Lok Sabha from Udupi-Chikmagalur constituency because of its track-record of development.

He told presspersons here that there was a triangular fight in the constituency as the Janata Dal (Secular) wanted to find its own ground here. Though the Congress and the JD(S) were two faces of the same coin, they were fighting against each other fiercely. This was a new political development.

As Udupi-Chikmagalur MP, D.V. Sadananda Gowda had worked for widening of national highway 66 in Udupi district. It was because of his efforts, Bangalore-Mangalore train got extended to Karwar. He was instrumental in the development of Koti Chennayya Theme Park, Mr. Kumar said.

He had responded to the problems of coffee and arecanut growers in Chikmagalur district.

Udupi district had seen development under the leadership of Mr. Sadananda Gowda and former Minister V.S. Acharya in the last four years. “Hence our candidate V. Sunil Kumar will,” Mr. Kumar said.

“AICC general secretary Oscar Fernandes was Udupi MP for 17 years, and Union Corporate Affairs Minister M. Veerappa Moily, who was earlier Chief Minister of the State, had done nothing for the development of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts,” Mr. Kumar said.

Asked if former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa would campaign for the BJP in the bypoll as there were only six more days left for campaigning to end, Mr. Kumar said: “All leaders of the BJP will campaign in this constituency by March 16.”

Local BJP leaders Udaykumar Shetty, Kiran Kumar, Shyamala Kundar, Mattar Ratnakar Hegde, and Jyoti Putturaya were present.