Priyanka Gandhi to address Cong’s women’s convention in Bengaluru on Jan 16

Aimed at galvanising the support of womenfolk ahead of Assembly polls in Karnataka, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be addressing a women’s convention here on January 16, party’s State president D K Shivakumar said on Monday.

He said the party is planning a separate manifesto for women ahead of polls, due by April-May, and want’s to release a ”guarantee letter” expressing Congress’ commitment towards them.

The KPCC chief was speaking to reporters after inducting JD(S) leaders from Ramanagara and Mandya districts – Vishwanath and Radhakrishna – respectively along with their supporters at the party office here. Vishwanath had even contested against Shivakumar in Kanakapura assembly segment earlier.

”Women are 50 per cent of the population, Congress has decided to prepare a separate manifesto for women regarding the ways in which the party can contribute to betterment of their lives and addressing the issues faced by them. Also building leadership among them and strengthening them,” Shivakumar said.

Highlighting Congress’ programmes for the betterment of women, he said, the party intends to release a ”guarantee letter” for womenfolk along with the manifesto ahead of elections, and as part of this effort suggestions and inputs have been invited from all leaders till January 15.

”Also a massive convention of women leaders from Panchayat and society level to right up to the top level has been organised on January 16 at Palace Ground in Bengaluru, several national leaders will be attending this event including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra,” he said.

Noting that she will ”review the process”, and address the convention and make some announcements for women on behalf of the party, the KPCC chief said, details about the event will be shared soon.

This will be Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s first ”political visit” to the State, and she will be sending a message to the womenfolk of Karnataka, he added.

Claiming Congress as the champion of women’s cause by having reservation for them, Shivakumar in response to a question said, it is the party’s resolve to give them strength politically, educationally, economically and socially in accordance with their population.

Stating that price rise has become a major issue that is affecting normal lives of people, Shivakumar said, the BJP government had promised to double the income, which did not happen, but the price of essential commodities is increasing.

The Congress is thinking about how to address the issue of price rise and is preparing a manifesto under the leadership of senior party leader and former Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, he said. ”We will also be soon coming out with details and BJP’s misrule and misdeeds.” Shivakumar also said that both him and Siddaramaiah will be starting a statewide tour soon in the run up to Assembly polls, and will share the details about its nature, reason and number of days of the tour soon.