Karnataka Legislative Council polls: Congress leaders against another term for MLC Veerkumar Patil

Belagavi: Well before a formal announcement on names of Congress candidates to contest elections to the Legislative Council, several leaders of the district unit of the party on Wednesday opposed another term for Veerkumar Patil, MLC.

Describing themselves as “loyal party workers” senior leader Shankar Munavalli and others told the media here: “The party has the strengthen required to win both seats, but only one candidate is being fielded. It is clear from the party's strategy that Congress and BJP will win one seat apiece if they field one candidate each. The Congress should clarify why it offers indirect support to BJP despite having an advantage of winning both the seats,” they added

The leaders opposed the candidature of Mr Veerkumar Patil, and urged central leaders of Congress to field two new faces, adding that Mr Veerkumar Patil has completed three terms in the upper House and therefore should make way for youngsters.

Criticising minister Satish Jarkiholi, Mr Munavalli said the party should take all leaders into confidence before taking crucial decisions during elections. Despite being loyal to the party for many years, many youth and senior leaders in Belagavi continue to be neglected by all top leaders, he said adding that he would launch a protest.

The leaders also opposed recent nomination of members of Belgaum Urban Development Authority (BUDA) by the state government on grounds that all four members are outsiders, and some even opposed major decisions of the party.

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