The decision of the Congress leaders here to admit a couple of local leaders in Kolar into the party fold without the knowledge of former Union Minister and Congress Working Committee member K. H. Muniyappa has miffed the veteran leader, who has expressed his anguish.
Mr. Muniyappa, who has represented Kolar for seven times in the Lok Sabha and angry at his own partymen causing his defeat in the 2019 general elections, has expressed displeasure at KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar and Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah for keeping him away while deciding and admitting local leaders M.C. Sudhakar and Kothanur Manjunath into the party. He is learnt to be upset particularly of the way in which former Minister and former Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar, who represents Srinivaspura in Kolar district, is handling the Congress affairs in Kolar, which was once a Congress bastion that fell into the BJP in 2019.
Sources said that he has conveyed his displeasure at being sidelined despite his seniority by the two leaders to the Congress General Secretary in charge of Karnataka Randeep Surjewala, who has tried to pacify the veteran leader. Mr. Muniyappa also aired his displeasure before his supporters in Kolar on Saturday.
Sources close to him said that the party has admitted leaders, who had worked against the Congress in 2019 that led to his defeat. “Why did the party admit them and what was the urgency? Why was I not consulted in the affairs of Kolar. The party has admitted those who handed defeat to us and how will the party benefit? It is an insult to those who stood by the party.”
Meanwhile, as speculations surfaced about his possible moves to join Janata Dal (Secular) following his conversation with the leaders in the regional party, Mr. Muniyappa scoffed them as rumours. “It is media’s creation. Why should I leave the party where I have a good standing?” he told The Hindu, refusing to elaborate on the ongoing issues in the party Kolar unit.
