Congress should have found compromise formula for Kolar

Bengaluru: Senior Congress leader K H Muniyappa on Sunday said the party should have found a compromise formula and chosen a local to contest from the Kolar seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Muniyappa, who is seemingly upset after his son-in-law was denied a ticket from Kolar, claimed that the two factions led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM and state Congress President D K Shivakumar were unable to resolve their differences and hence selected a “third person” to contest from the seat.

“The high command had given the ticket.. they had decided in favour of Chikka Peddanna (his son-in-law), but as there were some differences among us (Kolar unit), they had left the decision to the Chief Minister and the state president (of Congress).

“They were unable to resolve the issue and have selected a third person as the candidate,” Muniyappa, the state Food and Civil Supplies Minister said.

Speaking to reporters here, he claimed that such differences were there in several constituencies and efforts were made by the leadership to resolve them, but could not be done in Kolar.

“I tried to convince them to give (Chikka Peddanna) an opportunity and that I will ensure victory, but they couldn’t.

K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala (AICC General Secretaries) had contacted me...but, no one could resolve the differences. “There is no use of me blaming anyone now, the election is round the corner,” he said.

The Congress yesterday announced a ‘neutral’ candidate, K V Gowtham, for the segment sending out a message to the two factions of the Kolar Congress--one led by Muniyappa, and another by former Speaker Ramesh Kumar-- vying for supremacy in the district.

Gowtham, who is from SC (Left) community, is the Bengaluru Central District Congress Committee president and son of former mayor K C Vijayakumar.

Muniyappa denied being upset about his son-in-law not getting the ticket, but said that the leadership could have ensured some “compromise formula”.

“They should have identified a local person as a candidate and told both sides to obey the party decision,” he added.

Five Congress legislators including a minister threatened to resign four days ago if the ticket for the Kolar Lok Sabha seat was given to Muniyappa’s son-in-law Chikka Peddanna, as they wanted someone from the SC (Right) sect to be fielded.

Peddanna belongs to SC (Left).

Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had on Thursday conducted a meeting with the lawmakers who had threatened to resign.

Muniyappa has represented Kolar Lok Sabha seat seven times. He had returned to state politics after losing the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Kolar against BJP’s S Muniswamy. He is currently an MLA from the Devanahalli assembly segment.

Meanwhile, Shivakumar today said that the dissidence in the Kolar unit of the party has been resolved and all leaders in the district including Muniyappa, Ramesh Kumar and other legislators have resolved to ensure the party’s victory. “You will see that they will together ensure Congress’ victory,” he added. PTI KSU