Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Cong. workers mob CM seeking board posts

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore May 21. The Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, had a feeling of the intensity of displeasure of Congress workers over the delay in making appointments to boards and corporations.

Mr. Krishna was surrounded by a group of party workers at the Congress Bhavan here on Tuesday seeking to know why their service to the organisation had not been recognised.

The Chief Minister went to the KPCC office to attend a function to mark the 11 th death anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi. Even as he arrived at the venue, an elderly Congressman, who wanted to speak, gave vent to his anger when Seva Dal workers stopped him. He later interrupted the KPCC President, Allum Veerabhadrappa's speech.

After the function, when Mr. Krishna was about to leave, a group of party workers, especially women, surrounded him. The Chief Minister patiently received representations from some of the workers and promised to look into them. But when the workers persisted with their questions, he was exasperated and told them that he could not create boards and corporations for each lane. He noted that the party workers had been given representation at various levels.

Mr. Krishna said the Government had set up a committee of senior ministers to recommend names of deserving party workers for appointments to boards and corporations. The workers should await the committee's report. The explanation pacified some of the agitated workers.

However, some of them were heard shouting that defectors from other parties and newcomers had been rewarded with good positions.

They mentioned in particular the nomination of Umasri, film actress, to the Legislative Council although she joined the party a few years ago, and the appointment of the former president of the BJP Mahila Morcha, Philomena Peres, as Chairperson of the Women's Development Corporation. Mr. Krishna did not respond to the criticism.

Some workers also protested before the Chief Minister against the arrogant behaviour of the Congress MLA from Shantinagar, M. Muniswamy.

He had no regards for senior workers of the party, they alleged.

It is stated that for the first time, Mr. Krishna faced such an angry group of Congress workers.

Earlier, the Minister for Forests, K.H. Ranganath, had a dig at party workers. He asked them why they did not attend a function held earlier in the day at Mehkri Circle where the Chief Minister inaugurated a programme to plant one lakh saplings in the City. The workers should involve in tree plantation and afforestation programmes, he added.

Mr. Ranganath said a large number of party workers attended the function to mark the death anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi to seek appointments to boards and corporations.

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