The rift between Congress leaders, following the Mayor’s election on Wednesday, continued on Saturday. While MLA Tanveer Sait defended his move of backing JD(S) candidate Rukmini Madegowda as Mayor, former minister H C Mahadevappa and others opposed it.
Though the Congress fielded a candidate, the Congress corporators supported JD(S) candidate as per the directions of Tanveer Sait. As there was no alliance between the JD(S) and the Congress until the last moment, both JD(S) and Congress fielded candidates. But, Sait decided to support JD(S) after the election process commenced. Thus, Congress candidate Shantakumari had to withdraw her papers.
Sait said, “I am ready to face any punishment. I am not for sale. There is no question of fear. No one is above the party. No one should be involved in personality worship. I have fulfilled the party’s basic demand of keeping the BJP away from power, by supporting a JD(S) corporator as Mayor.”
Sait said that the supporters of Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah claim that Sait joined hands with JD(S) and thus, he did not receive phone calls of Siddaramaiah. Sait, rubbishing the allegation, said, “Siddaramaiah called me 16 times between 12.26 pm and 12.42 pm and I could not answer the call as I was in the council. Ask Siddaramaiah how many times I called him between 9 am and 12.03 pm.”
Sait said that he spoke with Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D K Shivakumar in connection with the issue. “I will meet him again on Monday,” he said.
Defending Siddaramaiah, former minister H C Mahadevappa said, those who raise voice are silenced inside and outside the party. “A few people have not understood it. Siddaramaiah is fighting for the people. He need not project himself before JD(S) leaders or any others,” Mahadevappa said.
Former Mayor Ayub Khan and Deputy Mayor Anwar Baig took severe exception to Sait, demanding action against him. Baig said that he had no idea of becoming deputy mayor.
KPCC working president R Dhruvanarayan said, “Siddaramaiah had clearly directed not to give away the Mayor post. But, the decision was changed only after the election process commenced. I will give a detailed report to KPCC on Monday.”
Dhruvanarayan said, “Both, protest against Siddaramaiah and press conference against Sait, was wrong. We have to resolve the matters internally on a party platform.”