The power struggle in the Congress over the post of the Chief Minister has now spilled over to the Vokkaliga turf. While the statement of former Minister and Chamarajpet MLA B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan on Vokkaligas has riled many, Congress seems to be in damage control mode.
In a series of developments, former Minister and Congress leader from Mandya N. Cheluvarayaswamy met KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar along with former Magadi MLA Balakrishna to hold discussions on the fallout for the Congress in the Vokkaliga heartland.
Mr. Zameer’s episode is the latest of the intense power struggle between former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Mr. Shivakumar for the Chief Minister’s post if Congress crosses the majority mark in the ensuing Assembly elections. Referring to an earlier appeal by Mr. Shivakumar to the Vokkaliga community to back him in the elections, Mr. Khan had wanted Mr. Siddaramaiah to be the next Chief Minister, and had commented on the Vokkaliga community.