Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Nov 12: Friction between Congress leaders over the selection of candidates for the assembly constituencies going to the by-poll has continued. A number of senior party leaders like B K Hariprasad and K H Muniyappa walked out of a meeting of senior leaders held here on Monday November 11, expressing their resentment at the way Siddaramaiah has been handling the affairs.
Both the above leaders raised objections at the fact that their views had not been called for nor were they taken into confidence before finalizing eight candidates for the by-poll. It is learnt that former union minister, K H Muniyappa, also raised objection about the presence of former assembly speaker, Ramesh Kumar, and former minister, Nazeer Ahmed, in the said meeting.
"Complaints were filed about the anti-party activities of Ramesh Kumar and Nazeer Ahmed during the Lok Sabha election," Hariprasad and Muniyappa said and asserted that these two leaders should not express any opinion at the said meeting. Muniyappa, supported by Hariprasad, also pointed out that he was not consulted before finalizing candidates for urban local bodies in Kolar district.
Reacting to their objections, Siddaramaiah said that what has happened cannot be changed. He said that the party is ready t issue tickets to persons of their choice in the remaining seven constituencies, but asked them to shoulder the responsibility of ensuring their victories.
Angered by this, B K Hariprasad insisted that everything cannot go on as per the agenda of individual leaders. He said that the leaders were wrong in choosing first eight candidates for the by-poll without seeking anyone's opinion. He felt that people with money have been chosen and suggestions of party workers have been overlooked.
It is said that Sathish Jarkiholi, who was angry at the plans to field defeated BJP candidates in Gokak and Kagwad constituencies in Belagavi district, stayed away from the meeting. He knows that if they get tickets, D K Shivakumar, who had earlier meddled with Belagavi district affairs and created friction there, may again take charge, which the Jarkiholi family does not want.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, Dinesh Gundu Rao, said that the party will decide about the admission of Raju Kage into the party after the Supreme Court announces its decision. He insisted that both Muniyappa and Hariprasad had left after the meeting ended. Muniyappa too said that leaders have decided to unitedly fight the by-poll. He said he had left the meeting by taking president's permission as he was busy with urban local bodies election.