KC Venugopal ‘buffoon,’ Dinesh Gundurao ‘flop show president’: Roshan Baig

Bengaluru: Crossing the limits of political propriety and making clear his intentions to sever ties with the Congress if it comes to that, former minister and Shivajinagar Congress MLA R. Roshan Baig on Tuesday dubbed party general secretary in charge of Karnataka, K.C. Venugopal a "buffoon" who knows nothing about state politics.

The veteran leader who was earlier in the Janata parivar, took potshots at state Congress chief Dinesh Gundurao and former CM Siddaramaiah describing the former as a 'flop show president' and the latter as someone who divided communities by seeking the separate religion tag for the Lingayat community.

The Congress was quick to respond and issued a show-cause notice to Baig for his outbursts. The notice, signed by KPCC General Secretary V.Y. Ghorpade said Baig's remarks are being considered seriously as "anti-party activity" and asked him why disciplinary action should not be taken against him. His explanation has been sought in a week.

Speaking to reporters here, Baig said. "I really feel sorry for my leader Rahul Gandhi. Buffoons like Mr Venugopal, the arrogant Siddaramaiah and the flop show KPCC president Dinesh Gundurao are responsible for the Congress party's downfall."

Coming down heavily on Mr. Gundurao, Baig asserted that he wouldn't be surprised if the exit polls, which have predicted a majority of the Karnataka seats for the BJP, come true. "If the BJP wins 18 seats (out of 28) in the state, isn't it a slap on the face of the party which could do nothing despite being in an alliance with the JD(S)?" he wondered. Training his guns on Siddaramaiah, Baig charged that from 'day one' after the coalition government took over in May last year, the former CM has been saying that he is going to be CM again. "It is the Congress which went to the doorsteps of the JD(S) to form the government with an offer to make H.D. Kumaraswamy CM. But in reality, Mr Kumaraswamy was not allowed to work peacefully even for a day because of the arrogant attitude of Siddaramaiah, who is breathing down the CM's neck saying that he wants to come back as CM. Why can't he accept the party's stand and allow Kumaraswamy to function? " he asked. In response to a question over the denial of a cabinet berth to him, Baig retorted that the portfolios were 'sold.' "Our arrogant leaders have sold portfolios, which was not the case in the Congress earlier," he lashed out.