Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, May 18: Outgoing Congress MLA from here, Shakuntala Shetty, said that she has decided not to fight assembly election next time. She however clarified that in her place, an able candidate would be fielded and his victory would be ensured.

She was speaking at a meeting of party workers at the Congress office here on Wednesday. "Having tasted defeat four times in previous elections, I have not lost heart at this reverse of fortunes. I will get fully involved with building the party's organization. I will undertake village visits and hold a mega convention of party workers soon. I will engage all my energy to bring the party to power in assembly, municipal, and Lok Sabha elections. For assembly election, a capable candidate would be found and fielded," she explained.

Shakuntala stated that party workers associated with her should be the ones who have never been involved with thefts, sexual harassment, and treachery. She advised the workers not to bring to her complaints like someone had attacked them, duly advising them to learnt to question such things and fight against injustice. She added that she wants Congress workers to earn the reputation of being good human beings who help people and not hurt anyone.

"BJP workers who are buoyed by their victory in this assembly election have been bursting crackers in front of houses of humble people and throwing bottles apart from indulging in mischief. I have instructed police to register cases in such instances. If they do not register first information report, let us sit in dharna in the police stations. When we won last time, we had seen to it that our party cadres did not raise slogans and no untoward incidents had happened. This is the difference between our party and BJP," she stated. She claimed that she had made sure that communal incidents did not happen during her tenure.

While conceding defeat, Shakuntala noted however that she had got more votes this time. Noting that councillor, Rajesh Bannur, has charged her of having acquired land near Bedrala, she challenged Bannur to prove his charge so that she can donate the land to him.

Puttur Urban Development Authority chairman, Kaushal Prasad Shetty, Bhaskar Gowda Kodimbala, Kumbra Durgaprasad Rai, and election in-charge, M B Vishwanath Rai, addressed the participants. Several leaders were present.

Block Congress president Muhammed Badagannur, welcomed and proposed vote of thanks. General secretary Krishnaprasad Alva compered the programme.