MANGALURU: Karnataka Dalit Sangharsh Samiti Ambedkar Vada ) has decided to throw its lot behind secular and democratic alternative to BJP in Karnataka in upcoming general election. A decision to this effect was taken at state executive committee meeting of KDSS, Malavalli Shankar, state general secretary, said. The Samiti has decided to back Congress candidates in these elections that will be held on April 18 and 23 in the state.Briefing reporters on the outcome of the executive committee meeting, Shankar told reporters on Saturday that BJP led NDA government has failed on all fronts in its last 5-years of rule and brought only misery to the common man in general and dalits in particular. BJP was a party that wanted to change the Indian Constitution, undermined Constitutional bodies, and is saddled with unkept promises to the youths and farmers of the nation.The BJP strove to largely regulate food habits of the masses, Shankar said, adding it is time that the electorate took these contentious issues in to consideration rather than get swayed by emotional and religious issues that the Saffron party always rakes up during the elections. BJP is also whipping up false patriotic fervour on the eve of elections and electorate should see through these frivolous issues and exercise their franchise, he noted.Noting that dalit community would normally support Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Shankar said BSP is not political force to reckon with in Karnataka and the dalits have hence decided to back the Congress although the BSP has decided to field candidates for these polls in the state. “We (DSS) want Dalits to consolidate their support behind Congress and ensure that secular and democratic forces come to power in the state through the polls,” he said.

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