In Bangalore south

Cong bets on Rahul's Choice

Young. Has no hang-ups about pub-going girls. Finds the Mangalore episode, the attacks on churches, etc highly obnoxious. Believes in promoting the economy, freedom of expression and infrastructure. Just whom are we talking about?
In Bangalore South, it is Krishna Byre Gowda, the Congress upstart who aspires to be a giant killer against the BJP's Ananth Kumar.
Upstart? Not exactly. Krishna Byre Gowda is a three-time MLA and represents the Byatarayanapura assembly constituency in the current legislature. Sycophant? It's a charge that is easily thrown at those preferred by the Gandhi family, but Gowda is educated, progressive in outlook, and a staunch supporter of Rahul Gandhi. Outsider? Not at all. Gowda is a post-graduate in international relations and did his schooling in National College, Basavanagudi and MA in Christ College. His USP? His appeal to youth, as the state youth congress president.
Krishne Byre Gowda spoke to TWB at a felicitation meet in Jayanagar held recently where local Congressman Suresh,  Ex-Corporators N. Nagaraju, Samiulla, Rizwan, former Speaker Ramesh, Prof. Rajeev Gowda, Chandrashekar Raju, and B.V. Ramesh took part.
• Your opponent is a 4-time MP from Bangalore south, which is today a BJP bastion. Don't you think you are on a weak wicket?
KBG: Just because you have won repeatedly in the past, it does not mean success is guaranteed for ever. People do not vote blindly.
• Why do you think they should vote you?
KBG: The youngsters are fed up with the Mangalore episode, the attack on girls, the imposition of a dress code on the youth, the intolerance of the Sangh Parivar against Hindu boys mingling with Muslim girls, and vice versa, the church attacks, and such other issues. They will definitely teach a lesson this time.
• How do you evaluate the BJP?
It is a party that promises to build the Ram temple at Ayodhya during every election! It believes in dividing people's hearts in the name of religion, whereas my party believes in taking all sections of people together.
• The BJP has 3 MLAs from south Bangalore viz. Jayanagar, Padmanabhnagar and Bommanahalli, and their performance on the development front has been reasonably good. How can you topple the saffron party from its pedestal?
KBG: Yes. And the BJP is not as strong as it is made out to be in this constituency. In the last elections, its overall winning margin was around 30,000 votes, which is not a big lead really. Also, according to the latest census figures, millions of youngsters are set to enter the polling booths as first time voters. We are confident that these young voters will back us. That is why Rahul Gandhi wanted to field young candidates. We have young contestants fighting the BJP in Davanagere, Chitradurga and Chamarajnagar.
• How confident are you about getting the support of senior Congressmen who were also aspirants for the ticket?
KBG: This is nothing new to our party, the decision to give the ticket is taken by the High Command. Moreover, let me inform you the moment my name was announced, I started getting congratulatory calls from the senior most leaders in the party!

• What is your assessment of the BJP government in the State vis-à-vis the UPA's record?
KBG: Ever since the BJP came to power the real estate industry has been steadily going down. As for Ananth Kumar, he is always in Delhi and has hardly visited his constituency. Whereas under Sonia Gandhi's guidance and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's leadership, the UPA's rural employment guarantee benefited 3 crore households, and it was made operational in all districts of the country, India has joined global mainstream energy security and will produce additional 20,000 MWe of clean energy, farm loans worth Rs.71,000 crore were waived, loans to 4 crore farmers waived, there was record 90% increase in the minimum support price for food grains, apart from Rs 7000 crore for development of minority welfare, 10,000 Km national highways completed and 6,000 km are under progress, ultramodern metro rail, expressway and multi-lane highways are under construction, 35 airports and 22 railway stations are being upgraded, etc. Also, UPA is the first government to implement the right to information act. We have a PM who is not corrupt, secular, and also a young and dynamic leader in Rahul Gandhi who a vision for India.

• How do you visualize your appeal to the voters?
Over 70% of India is under the age of 40, and wants a fresh perspective and new solutions on age-old issues. This is what I bring to the table. When you vote for me, you invest in bringing the voice of the youth into government. Big promises are not my style, although considered and committed action is.