Bangalore: A letter written by state Food and Civil Supplies minister, Dinesh GunduÂrao long before the emergence of IT czar Nandan Nilekani as a possible party candidate for Bangalore South Lok Sabha seat, resurfaced on Thursday setting off fresh flutters in political circles that the Congress old guard was against a ticket being given to a rank political novice.
Gundurao and his associates had written letters to AICC president, Sonia Gandhi and party in-charge Digvijay Singh opposing the UIDAI chairman's candidature. In the letter, he reportedly insisted that U.B. Venkatesh, party loyalist and businessman, be given a ticket for Bangalore South constituency.
With no one in the state Congress party challenging the news, the story only gathered more credence. However, Gundurao clarified to Deccan Chronicle that he had written the letter before Mr Nilekani’s name cropped up for Bangalore South.
“Long before the first state election committee meeting when Mr NileÂkani’s name was not even discussed here in Karnataka, I did write a letter to Mrs Gandhi, Digivijay Singh, KPCC president, Dr G. ParamÂeshwar and chief minister, Siddaramaiah.
In that letter, I said that Venkatesh should be given ticket. Someone might have selectively leaked the content of the letter
to try and malign me,” Gundurao said. According to Mr Gundurao, though U.B. Venkatesh is a loyal Congressman, one can not compare the contribution of Nilekani and Venkatesh.
“Both are poles apart. Nilekani’s contribution is huge. After the party central leadership has accepted his name, I had never raised an objection. In fact, when I met Nandan, the other day, I told him that I will work for him, if he is the candidate.
When the party leadership decides on Nilekani’s candidature, the content of my old letter becomes infructuous,” Gundurao said. Why was there a calculated leak?
Sources in the party said that two senior leaders — an AICC general secretary and another is a senior cabinet minister — might be behind this, adding that ‘they probably want to derail the Nandan Nilekani candidature and undercut Gundurao, by using the old letter written by him.’
