Bengaluru: The Janata Dal (Secular) candidate for Mandya Lok Sabha bypoll, L R Shivaramegowda, has been left to fend for himself as most senior Congress leaders here have reportedly decided to stay away from the campaigning in protest against their party giving away the constituency to its coalition partner in the government.
Worryingly for the Congress, their decision seems to reflect a deeper smouldering discontent with the alliance it has formed with the JD (S) in the state.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior Congressman said, "All like-minded Congress leaders of the district have resolved to leave their respective assembly constituencies after former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah holds a campaign in Mandya on Wednesday. We will come back only after the polls."
He explained that the Congress workers of Mandya would not allow them to stay in their constituencies if they campaigned for the JD(S) candidate when several of them were still battling cases in local courts for assault by its workers.
“How can you expect these same people to work for that party?” he asked, declaring that “no real Congressmen” would campaign for the victory of candidates of their “rival political parties.”
The Congress leader said his party should not have allowed the JD(S) to contest from Mandya when it was its own stronghold. “Congress candidates were defeated in Mandya district in the recent assembly poll because of a secret understanding among the JD(S), BJP, BSP and the Left parties. They targeted the Congress nominees to prevent Mr Siddaramaiah from coming back to power. We are aware of the conspiracy but are not able to disclose it due to party pressure. Some selfish Congress leaders are supporting the JD(S) only for the sake of power," he charged.
Indicating that the Congressmen’s unhappiness extended beyond the Mandya bypoll, he said several of the “ original” partymen, who were unhappy with forming the coalition government with the JD(S), planned to meet after November 6 to work out their future course of action.
“We are so frustrated that we may even leave the Congress if we are not heard. What does Congress president, Rahul Gandhi know about the ground reality in the party’s strongholds in Karnataka? He goes by the advice of state leaders, who mislead him," he added.
