Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Sep 21: D K Suresh, Congress MP and brother of minister, D K Shivakumar, on Wednesday September 21, charged his party leaders of cold-shouldering him. He expressed his strong displeasure at not taking him into confidence in the matter of choosing party candidate for the post of the city mayor.

A few days back, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, Dr G Parameshwara, had called for a meeting of party leaders from the city to hold discussions on the mayoral election that is fast approaching. Suresh, it is gathered, was not invited for this meeting. "I believe that many have forgotten that I am a Lok Sabha member representing a constituency, and several city wards fall within my constituency. I believe in claiming my rightful place. I have no qualms about the possibility of some people dubbing my words as a mark of revolt," he stated.

Suresh represents city rural constituency in the Lok Sabha. He accused Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike and state government of neglecting the wards which were recently added to the city corporation, many of which fall under his constituency. He therefore reasoned that the post of the city mayor should go to a corporator elected from a ward that was added recently, and therefore, suggested the names of Velu Nayakar representing Laxmidevinagar ward and M Anjanappa from Begur ward as rightful claimants for the post of the mayor. He however, hastened to add that he has no objection if any of the other corporators from recently added wards is chosen as party candidate for this election.

Parameshwara clarified later that his party will consult Suresh before finalizing name of the party candidate for the mayoral election, and that there is no question of neglecting anyone.