Senior leader of the Congress and Minister for Food and Civil Supplies K.H. Muniyappa said that instead of fielding candidates from outside in Kolar and Bagalkot constituencies, the party should have set up a core committee for discussing the pros and the cons of each candidate before announcing the list of candidates.
Mr. Muniyappa has been sulking after the party denied ticket to his son-in-law Chikka Peddanna to contest from Kolar reserved constituency in the Lok Sabha election on April 26.
The party has fielded K.V. Gowtham, president of the Bengaluru Central District Congress Committee.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Muniyappa said he has suggested that the party high command form a core committee to look into the issue of not only selecting candidates for elections but also for discussions on major issues. The government should take decisions on major subjects after discussions in the core committee of the party, he said.
The seven-time MP from Kolar said the party should have fielded a “consensus candidate” instead of buckling under the pressure of factional groups.
A group of legislators from Kolar apparently backed by former Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar opposed the high command’s proposal to filed Mr. Peddanna.
Not sorted out
Without sorting out differences in the factions of the district, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar had recommended the name of “neutral” candidate Mr. Gowtham, he regretted.
AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC general secretaries Randeep Singh Surjewala and K.C. Venugopal contacted him but they were unable to solve the differences in the Kolar unit of the party, Mr. Muniyappa added.
