Those who left Congress will be back, party will become stronger: Hegde

Udupi: Jayaprakash Hegde, chairman of the Backward Caste Communities Commission, on Thursday said the Congress party in the Udupi Chikkamagaluru parliamentary constituency will be stronger as those who left the party some years back will return to the party fold following the Siddaramaiah government doing wonders in the short period since it had been in power.

Hegde visited the Congress office on Thursday after officially rejoining the party on Wednesday at Bengaluru.

Speaking to the press outside the party office Hegde said he did not have any talk with state party leaders about his contest in the Udupi Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha constituency in the 2024 elections but if a ticket is given, I will contest with all my might.

He said I will not worry about the BJP candidate from the constituency, I know the strength of the Congress party and will abide by the standards of my party and work for the betterment of the society.

Talking about the report his commission submitted to the government early this week, Hegde said the report will be highly beneficial to the people who are socially and economically backward and since the Congress government was pro people, it should implement the recommendations at the earliest which will pay good dividends to the government he added.

Hegde said “I am fully satisfied with the report my commission has submitted, it has many features and ramifications in improving the socio-economic condition of many castes that are less known and many of them do not even know that they belong to backward communities and the benefits they are entitled to under the Indian caste reservation programme, I wish the present government takes serious note of the report and act on it quickly” Hegde added.

Giving the example of Veerashiva Lingayats in the state Hegde stated that “the community did not know if their community comes under category III of the reservation chart and the benefits that are available to them.

Likewise, many smaller castes and sub castes have not been included into the list earlier, my report has included them and sooner or later these communities may realise that what benefits they are missing for their people”.