Oppn using Moily tweet to attack Cong, CM, KPCC chief tell high command

NEW DELHI: The Congress high command on Saturday told its Karnataka leaders that it will deal with the controversial tweet by senior leader M Veerappa Moily.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G Parameshwara, who are here to attend the AICC plenary session, apprised the party top brass of the tweet by Moily, which he has disowned, on rule of money in party candidates' selection.

Both the leaders reportedly told the top brass that the tweet was uncalled for and it has caused huge embarrassment as the Opposition BJP and JD(S) are going hammer and tongs against the ruling party.

Siddaramaiah and Parameshwara also told the high command that early this week, when the Congress screening committee discussed the candidate for Karkala constituency in Udupi district, Moily wanted only his son Harsha Moily's name be recommended, while others suggested that names of local leader Uday Kumar Shetty and former MLA Gopal Bandari also be added the list.  

If Moily had grievances on candidate selection process, he should have expressed this in the party forum instead of going to public with wild allegation, they said.  

The party's national leaders are learnt to have said that the issue be left to them and they will take a call on it.

Reacting to this, Parameshwara said "we are waiting for the high command direction on this row. The tweet was not in good taste and we wanted a closer examination following claims by Moily that his twitter account was hacked," Parameshwara said.

When contacted, Siddaramaiah said "it (tweet) may be due to sudden grave and provocation. Since Moily himself has disowned it, we have to believe him. There is no need to drag the issue further."

DH News Service