R B Jagadish
Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (EP)

Karkala, May 14: Xavier D'Mello, Congress party leader and former member of taluk panchayat here on Monday May 14 resigned from his post and from Congress party membership, on the eve of the results of Karnataka assembly elections.

Addressing a press meet here, he said that he has been a member of Congress party for the past forty years, during which he shouldered several responsibilities. "I have submitted my resignation to Karkala block Congress from the primary membership of Congress," he said, adding that he was resigning to make way for younger people in the party.

Criticising the Congress for not giving preference to youth, he said, "Youth should be given priority in Congress party. As only elders are holding positions in the party, young people are staying away from it. Senior people like me should work for the betterment of the party without expecting posts. It will make Congress stronger in the grassroots. I am pained by the way the party office-bearers in Karkala assembly constituency function. They should create opportunities for those who are proactive and work for the party. This way they should strengthen the party at least for the future," he said.

"The party is bigger than the individual for me. All should follow that principle. The party has provided an ordinary activist like me several opportunities. I have performed responsibilities including gram panchayat member, president, taluk panchayat member, APMC member, coconut fibre corporation member, etc. I have decided that it is not fair on my part to accept more posts while depriving young people of them," he added.