BENGALURU: Post-exit poll fury has threatened to sear the Congress, from within. Former Minister R Roshan Baig lashed out at the Congress leadership in the state.
He called CLP leader Siddaramaiah, a man he has known personally, for over 35-years, from the time they were both in the Janata Party, a 'selfish,' and 'arrogant,' man.
He called general-secretary K C Venugopal a 'buffoon,' and party president Dinesh Gundu Rao, 'a-flop-show-president.'
KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao slapped Baig with a show cause notice, "We do not know what hurry Roshan Baig is in," he said.
What is of concern is that Baig is a senior Muslim leader and has been elected MLA eight times. Baig told TNIE, "They denied me candidature for Bangalore Central on the grounds that I am a sitting MLA, but then gave seats to Byatrayanpura MLA, Krishna Byre Gowda to contest from Bangalore North and MLA Eshwar Khandre, to contest from Bidar, for LS polls.
In response to Baig's outburst, Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwara said, "We have taken note of it.'' Asked if it was a strategy on his part to be accommodated as a minister in the Congress, considering he was not made a minister, Dr Parameshwar said, "We are taking this seriously."
Baig chose to raise the issue of Muslims not being given their due by the Congress. He said another Muslim candidate Shakir Sanadi, son of former MP Prof I G Sanadi, was a good candidate, from Haveri. "What was the need to stop Shakir Sanadi as the candidate from Haveri," he asked.
"They brought in D R Patil, cousin of former minister H K Patil as the candidate from Haveri."
Baig further said, "Siddaramaiah has interfered with all candidates. Mysore, Koppal, Davangere where he brought in his own people (Kurubas), giving only one seat to muslims. Are we (muslims) bonded labourers ?''
It may be recalled that former speaker K B Koliwad too had lashed out against Siddaramaiah about a year ago.
On the issue of Baig taking on Dinesh Gundu Rao, sources said, "Dinesh Gundu Rao is Siddaramaiah's nominee and by getting him to be KPCC president, Siddaramaiah was trying to position himself as being above the KPCC president, because Siddaramaiah could have well been KPCC president."
"As Roshan Baig has lashed out against him calling him selfish what does he mean? Baig is unhappy that they did not accommodate him as a candidate because he always considered himself as a successor to Jaffer Sharrief, when they brought in MLC Rizwan Arshad originally from Mysore to contest as a candidate, it upset him," sources said.
An analyst said, "Baig challenging the Congress leadership is a serious issue, because Siddaramaiah is considered a leader of the Muslims too.''