S M Krishna, C M Ibrahim, Jaffer Sharief and H T Sangliana are among the leaders the Congress is likely to field from the city, state party president R V Deshpande tells MiD DAY
S M Krishna, C M Ibrahim, Jaffer Sharief and H T Sangliana are among the leaders the Congress is likely to field from the city, state party president R V Deshpande tells MiD DAY
Bangalore deserves MPs who can understand its mind, R V Deshpande, president of the state unit of the Congress, told MiD DAY yesterday. In an exclusive interview, he outlined his party's vision for the city.
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R V Deshpande
MiD DAY:u00a0 Bangalore has several questions for you and your party as you go in for elections. What do you have in store for us?
Deshpande: Bangalore is the global face of India. In 1997, when I was industries minister, we introduced the city to the US. Today it has attracted the world and received huge investments. We have to build an atmosphere to take this further. We must see that problems of infrastructure, traffic, environment, and law and order are addressed efficiently. Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM), a central government initiative, is important to develop cities like Bangalore. The UPA government put this in motion, and I think it is a significant issue as we go in for parliamentary elections in Bangalore.
How do you plan to find candidates to match your brief?
We have laid down some criteria. The candidate must be able to understand the city's urban mindset, and the sensibilities of its people. In addition to responding to the city's problems, he must have a vision for its development, keeping the future in mind.u00a0
So you are looking for people like S M Krishna?
Exactly. Krishna is a household name in Bangalore, thanks to his initiatives, as chief minister, for its development. He is the one who earned brand equity for the city. The party is talking to him to field him in Bangalore South, but nothing is finalised. Jaffer Sharief, C M Ibrahim, and H T Sangliana are under consideration for Bangalore North.
What are your plans for the IT and BPO sectors, now that Obama has said he is going to stop outsourcing to India?
The UPA government has taken several steps to contain recession, and offered a stimulus package. As for the IT and BPO sector, I think we must look beyond the US, and reduce our dependence on it. Our government will encourage them to explore new markets and breach boundaries.
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Moral policing has terrorised the youth in Bangalore. How do you plan to instil confidence in them?
The state government has completely failed in this regard. We have an incompetent home minister. Lack of co-ordination has led to an increase in crime. Every other day we hear of double and triple murders. We will bring the failures of the state government before the people, and convince them that only a strong government at the Centre can help them.
What do you want to tell artists who were verbally attacked by minister Ramachandre Gowda?
It is a shame that the government is showing its intolerance so openly, and that too with the ranting of a minister. We appeal to the artist community not to be scared, but come out and help the people establish a secular, liberal, and progressive government at the Centre.
How do you justify your party workers vandalising colleges where the state government is running a campaign against terrorism?
That is not a campaign against terror but BJP's plan to saffronise colleges. We strongly oppose it and we will not let them preach to students in the name of patriotism.
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