The BSR Congress Swabhimani Sankalpa Yatra Reaches Mangalore

Pics by John V. Tauro

Managalore, 02 August 2012: The BSR Congress-organized Swabhimani Sankalpa Yatra, which began at Karwar on July 29, arrived at Mangalore on Aug 2, Thursday and was received with a Poornakumbha Swagatha (grand welcome) accompanied by folk dance troupes and chende troupes from Kerala.

 

Sriramulu, founder of Badava Shramika Raitha (BSR) Congress, inaugurated the convention in Town Hall and said that he had never expected such a grand welcome for the BSR Congress in Mangalore, adding that he had founded this new political party with the intention of helping poor and downtrodden sections of society.

 

 
Criticizing the BJP, he said that the BJP has conveyed the message that it is only for Hindus, adding that it is now left to the BSR Congress that prove that it is a political party meant for all, irrespective of caste and community. He urged party workers to instill feelings of unity among all Indians and work to implement a strong Lokpal in Karnataka.

 

Speaking about the objectives of the Sankalpa Yatra, he said that the intention of the party is to fill the state’s farmers with confidence and to assure the general public that the party is for them. Stating that he does not want to share the dais with any senior politician, he said that he only wants the support of the public.

 

He also expressed confidence that the BSR Congress will achieve success in the upcoming elections and help solve all the problems in the state.

 

Revealing a brief history of regional political parties in Karnataka, he said that, although several regional parties were formed in the past, none of them succeeded, but the BSR Congress hopes to obtain the support of the public. Promising that the BSR Congress will not die like the other regional political parties formed before it, he said that regional parties are achieving great success in different parts of the country. Giving examples, he said that UP has a young chief minister from a regional political party and Mamatha Banerjee is another chief minister from a regional political party. He also said that regional political parties have achieved great success in states such as Tamil Nadu, Orissa, and Jammu and Kashmir. He expressed confidence that Karnataka will see a young chief minister from a regional political party coming to power.

 

Sriramulu, who was once a minister in B. S. Yeddyurappa’s cabinet, flayed the BJP for failing to keep its promises. Speaking about the failure of the BJP, he said that the party only talks about progress, but has only succeeded in appointing three chief ministers in a period of four years. The party is busy in creating caste-based politics and implementing a divide and rule policy to garner votes. Although people say that the Reddys helped the BJP to come to power, the truth is that the people of Karnataka voted them to power, but they failed the same people who voted them. He declared that the BJP is finished in Karnataka.

 

Attacking the Congress, he said that the Congress-led UPA government at the centre would have passed the Lokpal Bill if it is really free from corruption, but the Congress is a corrupt party.

 

He then stated exactly what the party will do for the people’s welfare if it is voted to power, adding that the BSR Congress will generate jobs for MSEZ displaced families of the district. He promised free laptops for PU students, scooters for physically handicapped students, free treatment for the poor in specialty hospitals, job opportunities, price security of crops irrespective of market trends, solutions for the problems of beedie workers, fishermen, and arecanut growers, and much more.

 

A number of BSR Congress leaders such as actress Rakshita, member of BSR Congress; Girish Rai, regional chief of the BSR Congress, also spoke on the occasion. Rakshita condemned the recent attack on students at a Padil home stay.

 

Several people were inducted to the BSR Congress on this occasion. Party core committee members Praveen Peter, Venkatesh Gowda, Siraj Shaikh, Khalid, and many others were also present.

 

-(Report courtesy Mangalore Today)