BENGALURU: A delegation led by Congress leaders Dr G Parameshwara and BK Hariprasad called on former Union minister K H Muniyappa, who it is said was planning to quit the party. They reportedly convinced Muniyappa, seven-time Kolar LS member, to take an active part in former AICC president Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’. “He is a CWC member, and quitting the party is a rumour. He was not active in mainstream politics for some time, but the gloomy days are now over,’’ said Parameshwara.
Muniyappa claimed that Congress leaders met him to discuss the confusion over Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot’s nomination to the AICC president’s post. “We are disciplined soldiers of the party, who follow instructions of the high command and Sonia Gandhi,’’ he said.
The trigger for the meeting was Muniyappa calling on CM Basavaraj Bommai through Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar, which gave rise to speculation of him joining BJP. “Bommai also spoke to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in favour of Muniyappa,” a source said, but did not divulge whether he was in touch with the BJP.
JDS is also trying to snare Muniyappa, who is from the SC (Left) and can help the party, especially in Kolar and Chikkaballapur. A section of Muslims is in favour of JDS, and a recent community convention held at Kolar was a crowdpuller.