Confident of victory in Maharashtra, bypolls in K’taka: Minister Parameshwara

Bengaluru (The Uttam Hindu):  Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara, Congress' senior observer in Maharashtra Assembly polls, on Thursday, expressed confidence in Maha Vikas Aghadi's victory. “We will also win all three seats in by-elections in our state,” he underlined. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Parameshwara said, “The exit poll results are mixed and among them, some have given 162 seats for Maha Vikas Aghadi and 128 seats for the opposition. Some exit polls have given a majority for the opposition by predicting 130 to 140 seats for them. The surveys are divided and nothing could be predicted.”

“The reality is people have become frustrated with the ruling party. There is an alleged scam of Rs 8,000 crore in connection with the purchase and running of ambulances in Maharashtra. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's World Class Research Centre there in 2015. Ambedkar hails from Maharashtra. Ambedkar is respected by the people of Maharashtra and other states as well. All communities, including Mahars, are unhappy about the non-completion of this centre,” Parameshwara maintained. “The Foxconn company which came with an investment of Rs 4 lakh crore to Maharashtra state is taken to Gujarat state. Another company with Rs 25,000 crore investment is also taken to Gujarat,” he alleged.

“The youths in Maharashtra are of the opinion that their jobs are being taken away. No succour and programmes are given to farmers. I have heard that CM Eknath Shinde indulged in corruption when I interacted with the media, leaders and common people. I have come to an opinion that Maha Vikas Aghadi will get an opportunity in Maharashtra,” Parameshwara stated. “We want to win all three seats in bypolls in Karnataka. There is a conducive atmosphere in the state in this regard. Some were claiming that in the Shiggaon Assembly segment, former CM and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai had won with a margin of 36,000 votes in the 2023 Assembly election and this time it will come down to 10,000 votes in bypolls. That shows the situation is adverse for the BJP. If we consider that those 10,000 votes come to the Congress party, we can win this seat,” he claimed.

Talking about the row over the cancellation of BPL ration cards, he stated, “The Central government has cancelled 5.8 crore ration cards across the country. I don’t know what morality the BJP leaders have to question us. Is the BPL card necessary for income taxpayers? Do the government employees want the BPL card? The criteria are not set by our government. The cards are revoked as per the guidelines. In case there is a mistake in the process, it will be reverified and BPL cards will be reissued. The government will not err in providing BPL cards to the eligible," Parameshwara stated.