Congress state tour begins today

BANGALORE: In a bid to strengthen the party organisation and motivate the cadres, Congress leaders, led by All India Congress Committee general secretary Madhusudan Mistry and KPCC president Dr G Parameshwar, will undertake a state-wide tour from Monday.According to sources, the Congress leaders will address party workers’ meetings at D-K, Udupi, Chikmagalur, Karwar and other districts, and also hold interaction meetings with the rank and file.The tour planned by Congress leaders assumes importance following the resignation of Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda from his Lok Sabha membership representing Udupi-Chikmagalur constituency after his election to the Karnataka Legislative Council recently.The by-election for the vacated seat is likely to be announced by the Election Commission of India soon. During the meetings, the Congress leaders are expected to elicit the opinions of the party’s rank and file on the prospective candidate to be fielded in the by-poll.Tharadevi Sidharth, B L Shankar and D M Putte Gowda, who had earlier represented the constituency in the past, may like to contest in the by-election.