Congress should have found compromise formula for Kolar: Minister KH Muniyappa
Bengaluru, Mar 31: Senior Congress leader K H Muniyappa on Sunday said the party should have found a compromise formula and chosen a local to contest from the Kolar seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Muniyappa, who is seemingly upset after his son-in-law was denied a ticket from Kolar, claimed that the two factions led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM and state Congress President D K Shivakumar were unable to resolve their differences and hence selected a "third person" to contest from the seat.
"The high command had given the ticket.. they had decided in favour of Chikka Peddanna (his son-in-law), but as there were some differences among us (Kolar unit), they had left the decision to the Chief Minister and the state president (of Congress).
"They were unable to resolve the issue and have selected a third person as the candidate," Muniyappa, the state Food and Civil Supplies Minister said.
Speaking to reporters here, he claimed that such differences were there in several constituencies and efforts were made by the leadership to resolve them, but could not be done in Kolar.
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"I tried to convince them to give (Chikka Peddanna) an opportunity and that I will ensure victory, but they couldn't. K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala (AICC General Secretaries) had contacted me...but, no one could resolve the differences.
"There is no use of me blaming anyone now, the election is round the corner," he said.
The Congress yesterday announced a 'neutral' candidate, K V Gowtham, for the segment sending out a message to the two factions of the Kolar Congress--one led by Muniyappa, and another by former Speaker Ramesh Kumar-- vying for supremacy in the district.
Gowtham, who is from SC (Left) community, is the Bengaluru Central District Congress Committee president and son of former mayor K C Vijayakumar.
Muniyappa denied being upset about his son-in-law not getting the ticket, but said that the leadership could have ensured some "compromise formula".
"They should have identified a local person as a candidate and told both sides to obey the party decision," he added.
Five Congress legislators including a minister threatened to resign four days ago if the ticket for the Kolar Lok Sabha seat was given to Muniyappa's son-in-law Chikka Peddanna, as they wanted someone from the SC (Right) sect to be fielded.
Peddanna belongs to SC (Left).
Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had on Thursday conducted a meeting with the lawmakers who had threatened to resign.
Muniyappa has represented Kolar Lok Sabha seat seven times. He had returned to state politics after losing the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Kolar against BJP's S Muniswamy. He is currently an MLA from the Devanahalli assembly segment.
Meanwhile, Shivakumar today said that the dissidence in the Kolar unit of the party has been resolved and all leaders in the district including Muniyappa, Ramesh Kumar and other legislators have resolved to ensure the party's victory.
"You will see that they will together ensure Congress' victory," he added.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
