Karnataka - Mysore   

Dissidence to the fore in Congress

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE, MARCH 28. Dissidence in the Mysore City Congress Committee has come to the fore with the senior party leaders aspiring for the party tickets from Chamaraja and Krishnaraja Assembly segments holding parleys at a hotel in the city.

The former Mayor, Vasu, the former Mysore City Congress Committee president, Dase Gowda, the former MLA, K. Harshakumar Gowda, were among the leaders who participated in the meeting on Saturday.

The dissidents, who call themselves as "loyal'' party workers, have opposed the continuation of D. Made Gowda as the president of the Mysore City Congress Committee. They have also threatened to take an "appropriate decision'' if they are denied the party ticket. The meeting also decided to approach the party leadership in Bangalore on March 30 on the issue.

A number of the party leaders from the city have raised a banner of revolt against Mr. Made Gowda and Minister in-charge of Mysore district, H. Vishwanath, for the preference being given to "new entrants'' to the party in the matter of issuing the party ticket for the two Assembly segments.

The "loyal'' party workers were upset with Mr. Made Gowda and Mr. Vishwanath for favouring the candidatures of a "new entrant'', Sandesh Nagaraj, and a political novice, Raghu Achar, for the Chamaraja and Krishnaraja Assembly segments.

The vice-president of the Mysore City Congress Committee, K.R. Subbukrishna, who belongs to the dissident camp, told The Hindu that they would place their demands before the party leadership.

The dissidents are sticking to their demand that the loyal party workers, who have served the party for several decades, should be given the party ticket in the two constituencies instead of the new comers.

Contending that the issue of allotting the party ticket to new comers amounts to injustice to them, the dissidents said they would meet the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President, B. Janardhana Poojary.

However, the dissident leaders clarified that they would not quit the party but present their demand at an appropriate forum.

Several party leaders, including Mr. Vasu, have been aspiring for the party's nomination from the Chamaraja Assembly constituency.

According to sources in the party, Mr. Sandesh Nagaraj's claim for the party ticket has the support of the swamiji of Adichunchanagari Math, Balagangadharnatha, and the member of the dissolved Lok Sabha, Srikantadatta Narasimahraja Wodeyar.

Similarly, the preference shown to Mr. Raghu Achar, for the Krishnaraja Assembly segment has not been appreciated by old timers in the party such as K.R. Subbukrishna. Mr. Made Gowda and Mr. Vishwanath's role in recommending "new entrants'' for the party ticket is being criticised by the dissidents.

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