Congress strong enough to win Mangaluru City Corporation and panchayat polls: MLC Ivan D'Souza

Mangaluru: MLC elect Ivan D’Souza said that though the BJP – JD(S) alliance helped in clinching some victories for the BJP in the Lok Sabha election in Karnataka, Congress' vote share had increased in the state even though the grand old party failed to win the expected number of seats.

"The party will be strengthened in Dakshina Kannada and we will make all efforts to win the hearts of the people, so that the Congress will win upcoming zilla panchayat, taluk panchayat and Mangaluru City Corporation elections," he told mediapersons on Saturday.

He said, "Congress won nine seats in the state. Our performance is much better than the previous Lok Sabha election. We lost seats in Coastal districts and Old Mysuru area.”

“With the efforts of the party workers, the Congress candidate was able to secure more than six lakh votes in DK. By nominating me as MLC, Congress party and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has given me an opportunity once again to serve the people. The party has recognised my service and has given me various responsibilities in the past, which I have discharged. After I was denied a ticket in 2013, I waited patiently and I was nominated as the MLC,” he said.

To a query on whether he is a ministerial aspirant, Ivan said “DK has an in charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and Assembly Speaker U T Khader. I am ready to handle any responsibility which the party gives me. It is the high command which decides on ministerial berth. My aim is to build a strong party in the country.”

BJP lost

The MLC said that the BJP had faced some major electoral upsets in the country's Lok Sabha elections. "They have lost their seats. The voters have rejected Narendra Modi who had projected himself as world leader in the country by not voting for the BJP. Even the winning margin of Modi has reduced drastically. The voters have realised that the thoughts of the BJP are not helpful in protecting the Constitution of the country,” he claimed

He alleged that the BJP had suppressed the opposition in the name of ED and IT raids. The BJP and Modi has no morality to take claim to form the government as they have lost the people’s mandate.

Guarantee schemes

To a query on guarantee schemes, Ivan D’Souza said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has already clarified on guarantee schemes. “It was our commitment to the voters during the assembly election. In case if any eligible person has failed to get benefits of the guarantee schemes, then they should visit the guarantee committee office and we will ensure that they get the benefit.”