Udupi: Congress leader Pramod Madhwaraj questioned how development works could be carried out with a paltry sum of Rs 125 crore released during the BJP rule. “The Siddaramiah government has given Rs. 503 crore in grants to Udupi City Municipality. But during the BJP rule, the government sanctioned only Rs. 125 crore. What could you do with the paltry sum of Rs 125 crore?” Pramod Madhwaraj asked.
He was addressing a media conference at the Udupi Press Club on Wednesday, August 29.
In the midst of the elections for the local bodies in the district, Madhwaraj said that BJP lost the previous local body elections to the Udupi City Municipal Council mainly due to corruption. He said the Congress has rectified most of the civic problems. Where the BJP failed to provide water, the present Congress-led administration of the Udupi City Municipality has ensured ample water supply for its residents.
Pramod Madhwaraj said that rumours spread by the BJP helped them win many seats in the Assembly elections. “BJP could succeed because of the rumours,” he said adding that the dream of the BJP to completely root out Congress in the country will never be fulfilled.
Madhwaraj said that the party has given a chance to suitable candidates in the local body elections. “We have the confidence to get a majority in the city municipal council,” he added.
He also categorically denied the allegations by BJP MLA Raghupathy Bhat that trade licence fees have been drastically increased. “For the past 60 years, Udupi CMC has not increased the trade license fees. The increase seen was due to inflation,” he said.
Janardhan Thonse, District Congress committee president, Sathish Amin Padukere Udupi taluk Congress committee president, Bhaskar Rao Kidiyoor, Congress spokesman, Congress leaders Kishan Hegde Kolkebail, Dinesh Puthran, Harish Kini, Divakar Kundar and others were present.
