If Sonia had not taken charge, Congress would have been erased
Koppal: Energy Minister K.J. George has said that had Sonia Gandhi not agreed to take charge of the Congress during its most difficult phase, the party would have disappeared from India, just as the BJP has repeatedly claimed.
Speaking to reporters, George recalled that the Congress was in deep crisis when Sitaram Kesri stepped down as party president. At that time, Sonia Gandhi was reluctant to enter active politics due to the emotional trauma caused by Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination.
George said that despite her hesitation, Sonia Gandhi eventually accepted the responsibility after witnessing the dire state of the party and responding to widespread appeals from party workers and senior leaders.
“Had she not come forward at that time, the BJP’s dream of a Congress-mukt Bharat would have become a reality,” he said. George expressed displeasure at the media for “twisting” his remarks and urged journalists to report his statements accurately.
Responding to questions on Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s recent comments about leadership discussions, George maintained that he was not present during those talks and therefore could not comment.
When asked directly whether Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would remain in office for the full five-year term, George avoided giving a definitive answer. However, he strongly criticised BJP leaders, alleging that they refuse to acknowledge the good work being done by the Congress government in Karnataka.
On the issue of illegal irrigation pump sets, George said that 4.5 lakh unauthorised pump sets have been regularised. However, he made it clear that the government cannot continue the same policy indefinitely and the matter will be placed before the Cabinet for a final decision.
He added that pump sets located within 500 metres of an electric pole would be provided regular connections, while those beyond that limit would be brought under the Kusum-B scheme. Under this scheme, the Centre provides 30% subsidy and the state government covers 50% to promote solar-powered irrigation. Solar pumps have the capacity to lift water up to 1,000 feet, he noted.
George also issued strict instructions to Hescom officials regarding failed transformers. He said that farmers should never be asked to transport transformers to repair centres. Instead, Hescom must arrange vehicles to collect and deliver them. “If any instance is found where farmers are forced to bring transformers themselves, action will be taken against the concerned staff and engineers,” he warned.
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