The State Congress unit seems to be heading for more trouble with senior leaders, including A.H. Vishwanath, complaining to the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge of Karnataka, K.C. Venugopal, about the “arrogant attitude” of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the alleged sidelining of party leaders.
Mr. Vishwanath is said to have complained that many senior leaders were leaving the party because of the CM’s attitude. The former Minister, who is known to be a staunch critic of the Congress government in general and Mr. Siddaramaiah in particular, called on Mr. Venugopal on Tuesday and submitted a three-page letter narrating the alleged humiliation he had been subjected to.
“I may also leave the Congress because of a lot of insult heaped on me by the Chief Minister many times. Although I have been active in the party since my student days, I have been sidelined in all respects. Internal intolerance amongst our leaders and office-bearers has caused a major loss to the party. We are losing many senior leaders and the goodwill of the people,” he said.
Another former Minister, Malikayya Guttedar, also met Mr. Venugopal and expressed displeasure at being “sidelined” by Mr. Siddaramaiah. “I have conveyed the problems faced by leaders in strengthening the party. If I do not get justice here, I will discuss with the people in my constituency and decide on the future course of action. Some people are creating a suffocating environment in the party just so that we leave,” he said, adding that he has been in touch with JD(S) leaders H.D. Deve Gowda and H.D. Kumaraswamy.
Similar views were expressed by Satish Jharkiholi, another former Minister, who complained to the AICC team that Mr. Siddaramaiah had failed to take his partymen into confidence. He, however, said he would not quit the Congress.
More consultations
On the second day of his visit, Mr. Venugopal held consultations with Ministers, legislators, former legislators and senior party leaders. With focus on strengthening the party at the grass roots and understanding the challenges in Karnataka, he probed the leaders on the same issues that he had DCC presidents and office-bearers on Monday.
Reacting to Mr .Vishwanath’s threat to quit the party, KPCC president G. Parameshwara told reporters that he would speak to him and persuade him to remain with the Congress.
Mr. Siddaramaiah, Mr. Parameshwara, Ministers H.K. Patil, M.B. Patil, K.R. Ramesh Kumar, Krishna Byre Gowda and R. Rosan Baig met Mr. Venugopal on Tuesday and expressed their views on the appointment of the next KPCC president.
