Southern States - Karnataka   

Bijapur Cong. factions to meet Vayalar Ravi

By Our Staff Correspondent

BIJAPUR AUG. 18. The next two days will be crucial for the two Congress factions in the district, one led by former MP, M.B.Patil, and another having allegiance to the Minister of State for Minority Development, M.L.Ustad, as the AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka, Vayalar Ravi, is said to have promised audience to them.

A separate delegations of the two factions left for Bangalore on Sunday to meet Mr. Ravi, who will be in the State Capital on Monday and Tuesday.

The feud between Mr. Patil and Mr. Ustad reached a new high last week when a delegation led by Mr. Patil went to Delhi and sought disciplinary action against the latter for his "anti-party" activities.

According to a complaint lodged by the Patil group, Mr. Ustad joined hands with the BJP, and ensured the defeat of the party's official candidates in the elections held to the posts of president and vice-president of Bijapur Taluk Panchayat. Mr. Ustad's "tie-up" with Shivanand Patil, the BJP MLA from Tikota constituency, which comprises rural areas of Bijapur taluk, also cost the party the vice-president post in Bijapur City Municipal Council. The party lost despite having a majority in both local bodies, they said.

The KPCC team, which visited Bijapur to look into complaints of "anti-party" activities some time ago, submitted a "strong report" but action was not taken by the party leadership in the State, which forced them to knock at the doors of the party High Command, the members of the delegation said in their complaint.

However, the supporters of Ustad refuted these allegations saying that Mr. Patil should be held responsible for the defeat in Bijapur taluk panchayat as most of the panchayat members are from areas in Tikota constituency won by the latter (Mr. Patil) in 1991. As far as the CMC elections are concerned, while the party nominee, Gulappa Shetgar, was made president, the post of vice-president was left to independent member, Anwar Jamadar, to avoid contest. If there had been a contest, there was a chance that the numerical strength of the united Opposition, including independents, could have equalled with that of the party.

Mr. Ustad and his supporters have already apprised the party's State leadership, especially the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, and the KPCC President, Allum Veerabhadrappa, of the activities of Mr. Patil. Their contention was that many senior members were fed up with Mr. Patil because of his autocratic attitude. Although he was far junior to Mr. Ustad and other elected representatives, Mr. Patil always wanted his writ to run in every matter, they alleged.

Mr. Patil and Mr. Ustad were in the same camp until last year, and spearheaded a campaign against the faction led by the then MLA from Huvinahipparagi, B.S.Patil Sasanur, who later became minister. However, they (Mr. Ustad and Mr. Patil) fell apart following the differences over the issue of selecting party candidates in the last municipal election.

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