Daijiworld Media Network - Dharwad (SP)

Dharwad, May 1: "We have no other mission for the next assembly election except to get blessings of the people to the maximum. We are right on track towards achieving this mission," said Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee working president, Dinesh Gundu Rao.

He was addressing a press conference held here on Sunday April 30.

Rao ridiculed BJP of setting for itself a big target for the assembly election and going astray at the beginning itself because of factional infighting in the party. He clarified that his party will go it alone in the hustings without entering into understanding or alliance with others. He said that newly appointed in-charge of state Congress affairs, K C Venugopal and four general secretaries of All India Congress committee, who have been posted as assistants to Venugopal, who are vested with this responsibility will be convening meetings of district level office bearers of the party. These meetings will be led by the chief minister between May 22 and 26 in the city for determining electoral strategy. "These meetings will also be utilized to address minor differences between leaders if any," he stated. Venugopal will be arriving here next week to take control of the situation, it is gathered.

Dinesh Gundu Rao concurred that there are some confusions and misunderstandings within the party, but stressed that there are no major differences. He added that the party leadership will take a call about utterances being made by certain leaders against the party leadership out of their individual grievances.

In reply to certain questions raised by media persons, Rao said that departure of S M Krishna from Congress had neither harmed his party nor benefitted BJP. He pointed out that although Krishna campaigned extensively in the recent bypoll, both the seats were bagged by Congress candidates.