“New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi, the Congress leader, told his party colleagues in Karnataka today that corruption will not be tolerated at any level.
He hinted that this could be a major issue in the upcoming campaign against the BJP. The meeting took place in Karnataka, where some of the Congress leaders are facing investigations by central agencies.
However, the party had secured a landslide victory in the state elections earlier this year, capitalizing on the widespread corruption and graft charges against the former BJP government led by Basavaraj Bommai.
“He said that we have to fulfil our promises to the people and maintain our integrity. He also said that there should be no corruption charges against us,” sources quoted him as saying after the meeting.
“He also said that senior leaders and ministers should work as a team and be responsible for their assigned constituencies,” sources added.
The Congress has a big challenge ahead of it to implement its election manifesto in Karnataka, which included a promise of clean governance.
This was a key factor in winning the trust of the voters, who were disillusioned with the BJP government’s alleged 40 per cent corruption rate.
The party also has to prepare for the next general elections, where it hopes to retain its 42 per cent vote share in the state. The BJP had won most of the parliamentary seats in Karnataka in 2019.
Sources said that the party has considered different scenarios for the elections, such as facing the BJP alone or in alliance with HD Kumaraswamy’s Janata Dal Secular.
The meeting today was focused on planning for the 2024 elections, but it also addressed some of the grievances within the ruling party.
About 30 legislators have written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the party leadership, expressing their dissatisfaction with the delay in development works and the performance of some ministers.”