Mangalore : The Convention of the Women’s wing of the JD(S) which was held at the party office at Falnir on February 2, Saturday was inaugurated by State JD(S) Chief HD Kumaraswamy.

Prior to the convention a bike rally was taken out    on the main roads of the town. When the rally reached Bunts Hostel even Kumaraswamy joined the rally and joined the procession in an open jeep.

Later, participating in the women’s convention, Kumaraswamy said the Congress and the BJP have miserably failed in initiating welfare programmes. He said even the gap between the haves and have nots has widened.

He said the Congressmen have been in deep slumber and are now awakened when elections are nearing. On the proposed Tipu Sultan, he said political parties were trying to gain political mileage  out of the issue.

He said he would raise the pension for the old age from Rs 400 to Rs 1500 in case his government came to power. He also promised Rs 500 allowance to new mothers and a monthly pension of Rs 1500 to destitute women.

A Sadananda Shetty, party candidate from Mangalore south constituency, Kumar Bangarappa, Amarnath Shetty, Nagaraj Shetty, BC Cell President  Huchappa, Women’s wing leaders Jayalakshmi Shetty, Rajashree  Hegde, Anitha S, Meena Shetty were present.