Ibrahim quits 'sinking' Congress, may join JDS

Bengaluru: Senior Congress leader and MLC C.M. Ibrahim on Saturday quit from the primary membership of the party. He also resigned from Karnataka Legislative Council.

Ibrahim said any person with self-respect will not be able to stay in the party. "I will reveal about my next move in two days. The Congress is a sinking ship. What

happened in Punjab will happen in Karnataka also," he said.

He maintained that he would speak to former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy with regard to joining the JD(S).

In his resignation letter addressed to AICC President Sonia Gandhi, Ibrahim claimed that from the past 12 years he had written several letters to her about his grievances. "Though, you had indeed replied that you will take necessary remedial measures, but so far I do not see any changes," he said.

Ibrahim claimed that if an election was to be held for the position of Opposition leader in the Legislative Council, he would have won as he enjoyed the support of 18 MLCs.

He expressed his displeasure over selection of B.K. Hariprasad as the opposition leader. He called him the most junior member of the council.

Ibrahim said whenever he raised issues of development and functioning of the party, he did not receive proper response.

He underlined in his letter that being a senior member of the party he was not able to meet Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi, to place the facts before them.

Opposition leader Siddaramaiah speaking to reporters at Kalaburagi airport said there will be no loss for the Congress if Ibrahim quits. "The Congress will not be affected by his resignation. Even if I quit, it will not have any impact on the Congress," he added.