'Party workers, public losing faith': Congress veterans in Karnataka sound alarm bell over infighting

The letter carries the grouse that the Congress is suffering damages due to infighting at a time when BJP-JD(S) combine is demanding Siddaramaiah’s resignation in connection with the MUDA scam issue.

Bengaluru: More than a dozen senior Karnataka Congress leaders have written to the grand old party’s top brass seeking an end to internal bickering, which they said is making people lose “faith and confidence” towards the government and hampering administration.

At least 15 Congress leaders, including B L Shankar, V R Sudarshan, H M Revanna, L Hanumantaiah among others, have written separate letters to AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi seeking their intervention to have party leaders stop speculating over Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's continuation in office.

“...more than six leaders, including senior ministers, are issuing statements claiming the post of CM instead of fighting against the BJP and JD(S),” the signatories, mostly loyalists of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, wrote.

“Due to this, many of our leaders and workers are getting demoralised and losing their hopes in the government and the party,” they wrote.

“Similarly, people of Karnataka are also slowly losing their faith and confidence with our party and government because of infighting and reckless statements of our leaders,” they stated, urging the Congress leadership to ensure an end to 'such damaging statements'.

The letter came a day after Karnataka Congress working president Manjunath Bhandary and MLC Dinesh Gooligowda lodged a similar complaint with Kharge.

The letter written by Shankar et al carries the grouse that the Congress is suffering damages due to infighting at a time when the BJP and JD(S) are demanding Siddaramaiah’s resignation in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam.

'They are capable': H M Parameshwara on CM aspirants

While denying that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will be replaced, Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said that some Congress leaders are expressing their desire to occupy the top post “as they are capable”.

Speaking to reporters on the tussle for the CM's post in the ruling Congress, Parameshwara said, "They (party leaders) are talking about it as they are capable (of becoming CM). But where's the question of changing the CM at this point of time?"

Parameshwara also said that his party colleagues should have the independence to say that they would like to become the CM if they get an opportunity.

"How can you take away even that independence from them? But such things have to be expressed when the situation arises, not now," he said.