JOIN USAfter a two-day respite, agitators again gathered in front of the KPCC office on Monday, demanding party tickets for their benefactors.
Yadavananda Swamy of Yadav mutt in Chitradurga met KPCC head G Parameshwara and demanded a ticket for former minister A Krishnappa to contest from the KR Puram constituency. Hundreds of supporters who had dropped in from KR Puram, Kolar, Raichur and other places, raised slogans against the party leaders for ignoring leaders from the Yadava community when allotting tickets.
Surrounding the vehicles of Parameshwara and KPCC publicity committee chairman Veeranna Mattikatti, the agitators also called for Yadava leaders to be included in the final list of candidates to be announced in a few days.
Assurances by Parameshwara that such demands will be brought to the notice of the party high command went in vain as agitators did not allow his vehicle to move from the office for over 15 minutes.
Police were finally summoned to disperse the crowd. When questioned about the many protests in front of the KPCC office in the last week, Parameshwara retorted that what they had witnessed was only a demand by party workers, and that such things cannot be termed as protests.
Yadavananda Swamy said that unknown lobbyists were busy denying tickets to Yadava leaders, including former minister Krishnappa. “Congress leaders should not allow injustice to creep into the selection of candidates,” he said.
Karnataka Yadava Association president Lakshmipathi spearheaded the protests and said that Nagaraj in Khanapur, Kodandaramaiah in Hiriyur, Satish Yadav in Chikkanayakanahalli and Ankalappaiah in Gubbi Assembly constituency, were some other Yadava leaders who have been denied Congress tickets.
Two MLAs inducted
Pavagada legislator Venkataramanappa (Independent), Maski legislator Pratapgowda Patil (formerly with the BJP) and ex-minister Somla Naik along with their supporters were officially inducted to the Congress party on Monday.
Parameshwara said all these leaders have joined the party purely on ethical grounds, and stated that the new members have not put forth any conditions. “The 2013 Assembly polls will bring positive changes in State politics and clean governance will be on the Congress agenda after it comes to power,” he added.
Parameshwara said they were waiting for the nod from Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi for the final list of the Congress candidates. “The list will be released in two days,” he said.