THE 16^TH state conference of the Karnataka Pranth Raith Sangh (KPRS) was held successfully in Hubballi in northern Karnataka from April 25 to 27. The conference was kick-started with a public meeting and a march from the city railway station to the venue. The public meeting was addressed by CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and AIKS general secretary Hannan Mollah, KPRS state president Maruthi Manpad, AIKS joint secretary Vijoo Krishnan, KPRS vice-president Sriram Reddy and KPAWU state president Nitynand Swami.

Addressing the public meeting, Hannan Mollah said that the Modi government was anti-farmer. In the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha election, Narendra Modi and his BJP had made many promises to the farming community, but none of these has been fulfilled in the past three years. At the same time, the Modi government has been working for protecting the interests of industrialists. KPAWU leader Swami spoke about the untied struggle against neo-liberal policies of the state as well as the central government. Reddy of the KPRS criticised the loan waiver policy of the state government.

The conference started in the evening with the hoisting of the AIKS flag by Maruti Manpade. KPRS general secretary U Basavaraj presented the draft report for discussion. Delegates were divided into various groups. Forty-four delegates, representing 27 districts and crop voice committee and sub-committees, participated in the discussion. Fifteen resolutions on important issues where adopted in the conference.

Many suggestions and modifications to the draft report were suggested and the conference accepted the report with some modifications. A 47-member state committee was elected. Fifteen office-bearers were also elected. Thirty-three delegates, with six alternative delegates, were chosen for attending the national conference which will be held in Hissar in Hariyara in October.

In the concluding session, KPRS new state president G C Bayyaraddy and AIKS vice-president K Vardarajan spoke about the necessity and importance of strengthening the organisation to fight neo-liberal policies of the government.