Mangaluru : Chikkaballapur MP and Former Union minister M Veerappa Moily said that there are no differences of opinion among Congress leaders in connection with the expansion of Cabinet in Karnataka.

Speaking to media persons here on Saturday, he said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has maintained equilibrium during the expansion of the Cabinet. Suitable representations have been given for SC/STs, Backward Class and General category candidates. There is no rift in the party, he clarified.

“Due to some personal reasons, KPCC president G Parameshwara did not attend the Cabinet expansion programme. It is left to the discretion of the chief minister to decide on Cabinet expansion,” he said.

Moily said Congress has already chalked out programmes for strengthening the party at the grassroots level in the wake of assembly election.

The party workers will visit the houses from September 10. About 90% of the committees have been formed at booth level, he said.

Moily said that the Congress-led state government has introduced several welfare programmes for the development of poor. The party workers will create awareness on the welfare programmes of the state government, he said.

The party is being strengthened after AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal took charge of the party’s affairs in the state. Congress will win more seats in the assembly election and will come back to power, Moily predicted.

Moily said India’s GDP grew at the rate of 5.7% this year — the slowest pace recorded since the NDA government assumed office – according to the RBI. In reality, the GDP growth has slipped to 3.7 %, he said.

After the scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, the economy of the country has been pushed to a dangerous position. To hide the slip in GDP growth, a new yardstick has been used to measure GDP grow, he criticised.

“I am the chairman of the Standing Committee of Parliament on Finance. The committee has been monitoring the issue of demonetisation from the beginning. The GDP growth during the UPA tenure had not slipped below 7%. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh termed demonetisation move as disastrous and it has been proved now,” Moily claimed.