Congress MLA B C Patil said that he along with 35 other like-minded legislators had been planning to form a new party as the Congress had not given due importance to Veerashaiva community.

Speaking to reporters in Raichur on Sunday, Patil said it would be difficult for the Congress to gain power if Veerashaiva community was neglected. The able leaders of the community should be given the responsibility of organising the party, he said.

He also said that the State leaders of the party were not given an opportunity to take decisions for the development of the party. High command controlled every activity. Such a policy had affected the party’s development many a times in the State, he added.