Bagalakote: The Congress has ruled this country and the State for 50 years. They were also in power at the Urban Local Bodies and Gram Panchayat levels. Though there was a triple-engine govzernment, it did not uplift the poor, alleged Revenue Minister R. Ashok.

Speaking at a village stay programme at Kaladagi on Saturday February 25 under the Jilladhikari Nade Halli Kade’ programme, he said that Amaldaars of the British era used to come to people’s doorsteps. But after the Congress Government came to power, people were forced to go to Government offices. After our BJP-led double-engine Government came to power, we are doing away with the culture of ‘come tomorrow’ and providing Government facilities at the doorsteps of the poor,” he said.

“The farmer is the backbone of this country. When elections come, most people come to their doorsteps. Those who come to power after the elections will sit in the Vidhana Soudha. It is a kind of mockery of the Democratic system. But after we came to power, we started the tradition of officials coming to farmers’ or people’s places to listen to the problems and create awareness on government’s facilities,” he said.