‘Top brass will decide CM but need numbers first’

By Rithu Dravid | NT

News Trail: What are Congress’ chances of coming back to power in Karnataka?
M.B.Patil: The Congress was in power in the State from 2013 to 2018. We had a stable government then. There were no corruption scandals against us. Compared t o i t , t h e c u r re n t BJP gover nment is embroiled in corruption. People are fed up with the BJP government. We are cent percent sure of winning a majority in the next election.

NT: There is a perception that the Congress is not a united force in Karnataka. Even Rahul Gandhi recently asked leaders to put up a united fight. So, how will you change this public perception?
Patil: Congress is united. We will fight the Assembly election as a single, cohesive unit.

NT: Who will be the Chief Ministerial face of the Congress? Will you be a contender for the post?
Patil: The high command will decide the CM face. It will be one person or a collaborative leadership. But the important thing is that we need to get the numbers first.

NT: What will be your major campaign planks?
Patil: The BJP has been trying to undermine what Congress had done in the past 70 years. We will highlight this prominently in our campaign. Modi had promised to get all the black money stashed from Swiss Banks and distribute Rs 15 lakh to all Indians within 100 days of coming to power. What happened to that offer? He said he would double far mers’ income. You can see what happened to farmers. They are in a deep crisis now. Modi has been talking about ‘Ache Din’. With the price rise in fuel, cooking gas, steel, cement and so on, how can he still talk about Ache Din? He is talking about Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas when the whole country is witnessing communal clashes. Our economy collapsed after demonetisation. People were forced to walk thousands of miles because of his mishandling of Covid-19 crisis. So we will highlight BJP’s hollow promises in our campaign.

NT: What about Karnataka issues?
Patil: No development has happened under the current BJP government in Karnataka. It has not built even a single house for the poor. Remember, we had built 15 lakh houses during Siddaramaiah’s rule between 2013 and 2018.

Another major issue is communal polarisation. The BJP is destroying the communal amity in the State. Bengaluru city has been a safe and preferred destination for investors. B u t t h e c o m m u n a l tensions have been forcing investors to relocate to Hyderabad. C o r r u p t i o n i s t h e hallmark of the current BJP dispensation.

The contractors recently raised corruption allegations ag ainst ministers. It is a 40% commission government. Ultimately, people’s hard-ear ned money is being swindled. We will highlight the plight of farmers, labourers, students, youth, minorities, scheduled castes, and the poor in the upper-caste communities. The petrol and diesel price hike is affecting everyone. Farmers are unable to use tractors and pump sets. The hike in cooking gas price has hit all sections of society. People are fed up with the governments at the Centre and the State. We are confident of getting the mandate this time.

NT: Right-Wing Hindutva organisations are raking up issues such as halal, hijab to polarise society and ensure BJP’s win. How will Congress counter such polarising campaigns?
Patil: Hung ry people need food. Youth need employment, students need education and farmers need water and electricity. T he gover nment has failed in addressing these fundamental issues. That is why they are polarising society. This will not take them anywhere. The BJP is doing this only to divert attention from people’s livelihood issues.

NT: You have recently offered free education to Ukraine-returned medical students at your BLDE Medical College. Are those students still with you? How long will the arrangement continue?
Patil: As the President and Chancellor, I had announced free education to all the 17 Ukrainereturned medical students from Vijayapura at the BLDEA’s Shri BM Patil Medical College until further orders of the government. The affected students and parents had approached me. I told them to meet the p