BENGALURU: Conflict over the candidature in Davanagere South constituency has forced the Congress high command to seek the resignation of MLC K Abdul Jabbar as the party’s minority department chairman.
Jabbar had tendered his resignation on April 3. The high command had been given a report on him earlier but asked Jabbar to make the resignation public only after the polling, fearing further damage to the party during the bypolls, according to sources.
The development comes a day after the Congress chief whip in the Legislative Council, Saleem Ahmed, alleged that certain Muslim leaders had hatched a conspiracy to defeat the party in Davanagere South.
The high command has also asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to remove MLC Naseer Ahmed as his political secretary. Ahmed is likely to tender his resignation soon, according to sources.
Minority leaders seek action against housing minister
Minority community leaders have also sought disciplinary action against Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan as well for not campaigning for the Congress candidate Samarth Shamanuru, son of Horticulture Minister SS Mallikarjun and Davanagere MP Prabha Mallikarjun. Zameer had strongly backed Jabbar as the party candidate for the bypolls. The high command chose Samarth claiming that it was a norm to field a member of a family of a deceased leader as it was followed in Bagalkot by fielding the late HY Meti’s son Umesh Meti.
Jabbar had taken strong exception to Mallikarjun allegedly insulting Zameer as he commands huge respect from the Muslim community. “He (Zameer) has been publicly addressed (by Mallikarjun) not once but twice in the media in a most disrespectful manner, and not to visit Davanagere for the by-election campaign. This has hurt minority Congress workers and Muslim community across the state. There is no disciplinary action or accountability for such an act and neither has an apology been given till date,” he pointed out.
“Minority voters and minority office bearers are the backbone of our great Congress Party and certainly deserve better than this,” he said.
Meanwhile, speaking to a private TV channel he admitted that the SDPI candidate who was in the fray may grab considerable votes which however would not affect the Congress’s winning chances.