The Congress party has been going through an organisational change ever since Sonia Gandhi passed on the baton to her son Rahul Gandhi. Now, reports have emerged that Rahul will release the party’s manifesto for the Karnataka Assembly polls next month, reflecting his priorities. State Congress unit president said that if Rahul releases the election document, it will mark a departure from the past trend. Party’s national presidents are not known for releasing manifestos for states.
The decision also indicates that the Congress high command is now attaching with the state units to bridge the gaps in taking crucial decisions and make sure it provides no ammunition to opposition parties. The Congress party is facing anti-incumbency in the southern state where polling will be held in single-phase on May 12. In last few months, Rahul Gandhi has visited Karnataka many times. Besides holding public meetings and talks with party workers’ to assess the situation on the ground, he has continued his Gujarat-like streak of offering prayers at temples in a bid to woo Hindu voters.
On Wednesday, the KPCC manifesto committee headed by senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily met to discuss the schemes and assurances that should be included in the election document. He confirmed that Rahul Gandhi will release the manifesto which will be finalised in the next couple of days. He said that only those programmes that are in sync with the party’s ‘Nava Karnataka’ slogan, will be announced through the manifesto.
According to reports, more than 160 assurances are expected to be announced by the party.
Meanwhile, scores of state leaders have sought tickets for their kin from the KPCC which said that during the Wednesday meet. The KPCC, however, said that the decision regarding tickets would be left to the high command.