The man behind the Goa heist

Whether in power or not, Chamarajpet JD(S) MLA Zameer displays the same degree of allegiance to ‘Kumaranna’. That is why he is pointman of all key operations of the JD(S). The transporter is now implementing the State JD(S) President’s plans to topple the BJP government.

When it was thought that Tourism Minister Janardhana Reddy would bring back all rebel BJP MLAs from Goa on Thursday, Kumaraswamy rushed to Goa along with Zameer.

Kumaraswamy returned to Bangalore a day later, giving rise to speculation that he has failed in his mission to snaffle the rebels. But Zameer, who stayed put in Goa, silently whisked away all rebels right under the nose of Reddy and Goa BJP leaders. The party sources said Zameer organised vehicles, nearly 50 high-end four-wheelers, and nearly 60 men, to safely shift all 10 rebel MLAs from the resort to the Goa airport. He also arranged for a chartered flight to take the MLAs to Chennai.

Zameer had also played the key role in Kumaraswamy’s staging a coup against N Dharam Singh Government in 2006, and paving the way for the JD(S)-BJP coalition Government. Sources close to these leaders say that Zameer is not only loyal party man, but a true friend of Kumaraswamy. They both share a good friendship. They attend each other’s family functions.

Differences too had cropped up between Zameer and Kumaraswamy when the former was the Wakf minister and the latter the chief minister. Irked by Kumaraswamy not attending a religious meet, Zameer had resigned. But they patched up in no time.