Bengaluru: The Bangalore Central Lok Sabha seat continues to be a point of contention in the Congress with four prominent Muslim leaders including two former ministers, C.M. Ibrahim and Naseer Ahmed and two state ministers, Roshan Baig and Qamarul Islam, reportedly writing a letter to AICC president, Sonia Gandhi requesting her to reconsider the party decision and field a strong candidate from Bangalore Central Lok Sabha seat instead of debutant and KPYCC president, Rizwan Arshad.
The reason for this: Mr Ibrahim is said to have evinced keen interest in contesting from the seat. Rizwan Arshad had pipped veteran leader Jaffer Sharief in the race for the seat leading to an explosive situation with Sharief threatening to quit the party and the JD(S) waiting to welcome him with open hands.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior leader said, “Yes, they have written a letter to Mrs Gandhi, stating that Mr Arshad will be a ‘weak candidate’ in Bangalore Central, which was once represented by former railway minnister, C.K. Jafer Sharief for a record number of times, when it was part of Bangalore North, prior to delimitation in 2009.”
These leaders expect Mr Sharief to contest from Bangalore Central despite being denied the ticket to ensure that he can retain the seat for one of his grandsons later. “Mr Sharief may not contest from elsewhere, instead he may opt to contest from Bangalore Central where the Congress has denied him the chance. So the decision to field a fresh face could prove disastrous for the party,” the source added.
The leaders are hoping that Mr Siddaramaiah pitches in at the last minute to secure the ticket for his close aide, Mr Ibrahim by placating Mr Arshad.
