Bangalore:
Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy yesterday hit back at Congress General Secretary B K Hariprasad for his remark that district in-charge ministers should be held responsible for the dismal performance of the party in Lok Sabha elections in the state.
"Like district in-charge ministers, Congress office bearers including general secretaries also have the responsibility. Yes, the party has got less votes in Bangalore, but they should also see how many votes the party got in their own constituencies?" he told reporters.
Mr Reddy who was asked to react to the remarks of Mr Hariprasad, a Rajya Sabha member, that all district in-charge ministers should be held accountable for the dismal performance of Congress in the polls in which BJP won 17 seats, Congress 9 and JDS 2.
Mr Reddy, without naming Mr Hariprasad, also said "Some AICC General Secretaries have also been given the charge of some states. They should see what results have come in those states. Isn't it?"
He was indirectly referring to the dismal performance of Congress in Gujarat and Chhattisgarh, for which Mr Hariprasad was Congress in-charge.
Mr Reddy said the Union Urban Development Ministry has agreed to convert as many as 310 premium Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) luxury buses into CNG-runs buses.
The state would get these buses under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), he added.
"We have also sent a proposal to the union ministry to convert as many as 67 Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation premium luxury buses into CNG-run buses," he said.
The CNG filling facilities would be set up in BMTC depots, the minister said, adding that the gas would be supplied by GAIL India Limited.