MYSURU: Congress MLA Tanveer Sait on Monday openly expressed his disappointment after being left out of Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's newly constituted Cabinet, alleging that loyal party workers had been overlooked while those who had publicly opposed the party leadership were rewarded with ministerial berths.
Addressing reporters in Mysuru, Sait said the Cabinet expansion had come as a major disappointment and claimed that the Mysuru region had not received the representation it deserved.
"The list is not in line with expectations. I don't understand the criteria on which the Cabinet has been formed," he said.
Without naming any individual, Sait alleged that leaders who had openly spoken against the party and challenged the leadership had been accommodated in the ministry, whereas those who had remained loyal to the Congress had been denied an opportunity.
"I have worked for the party with complete loyalty. The people also had expectations. I don't know why I have not been given a ministerial berth," he said, adding that he would hold discussions with his supporters before deciding his future course of action.
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The Cabinet snub triggered protests outside Sait's residence in Udayagiri, where hundreds of supporters and Youth Congress workers gathered and raised slogans against the Congress high command.
The protesters expressed anger over the Cabinet formation, alleging that anti-party leaders had been rewarded while committed party workers had been ignored. Some supporters urged Sait to resign from the Assembly in protest, saying there was no point in continuing when loyal leaders were denied justice.
They also demanded that he take a firm stand against what they described as an injustice and, if necessary, resign as MLA to launch a political struggle.
The protest took a dramatic turn when one of Sait's supporters, identified as Tabrez, allegedly consumed poison outside the MLA's residence after being distressed over the Cabinet decision.
Congress workers immediately rushed him to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Sait later appealed to his supporters to remain calm and personally tried to console the agitated gathering.