Muniyappa wins the battle of Kolar

Such was the intensity of the tussle over selection of the party candidate that Mr Siddaramaiah rushed to New Delhi Tuesday evening to get the nod of senior central leaders to field former Union minister R L Jalappa’s son-in-law Mr G H Nagaraja, but Mr Muniyappa had his way and thus secured the ticket for Mr Anil Kumar who was recently appointed Chairman of state-owned MSIL. He quit the post as soon as he got the party ticket as it would attract provisions of the Act on office of profit.

Sources in the party said G.H. Nagaraja’s candidature was opposed by several prominent leaders of the party from Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts, and they even told the Chief Minister that it would be difficult to ensure his victory. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior leader stated that Mr Muniyappa was lobbying for his supporter on the pretext that a Vokkaliga should get the ticket as both districts have a significant population of voters of this dominant community. “When former minister V. Muniyappa started lobbying because he got support from more than half dozen leaders of both districts, the MP from Kolar ensured that a dossier containing the former minister’s alleged involvement in illegal mining scam reached the high command,” the leader added.