City Congmen lobby hard for power

MUDA, ZAK, KEA, Mylac having its offices in city has many aspirants in the line

After a hiatus of nine years, Congress is back in power on its own in the State and the party workers are leaving no stone unturned to make the best out of it.

Eyeing key posts in Boards and Corporations, party workers are lobbying hard in the State capital. While some are camping for the past one week, a few are making daily trip to Vidhana Soudha, the power centre to impress upon their leaders.

What makes it special in the case of Mysore is that Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA), Karnataka Exhibition Authority (KEA), Mysore Lac and Paints Ltd., (Mylac), Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK) and Command Area Development Authority (CADA) -- considered as major revenue spinner contributing to State exchequer, having its offices in the city.

Though former mayor D Dhruvakumar is touted to be the next chairman of MUDA, there is no dearth of aspirants trying their luck. Former deputy mayor B Siddaraju, a close confidante of revenue and district in-charge minister V Sreenivas Prasad is also in the race. Dhruvakumar, a former chairman of KEA may have an edge over Siddaraju for being a close confidante of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He was also one among the leaders, who followed Siddaramaiah from Janata Parivar to Congress fold.

Key posts

K R Mohan Kumar, former chairman of Dry Land Development Board, who is also in the coterie of Sreenivas Prasad, and H A Venkatesh (who is in the inner circle of Mysore and Kodagu MP A H Vishwanath) are also seeking for their share of power. Rumour is that both of them are not ready to settle for “namesake” posts.

Among the members of Mysore district (city) Congress committee (MDCC) too, there are many aspirants. Prominent among them are, P Raju secretary either for KEA or ZAK, Chandru for ZAK or Mylac, Khaiser Ahmed, secretary of MDCC for MUDA membership, Raghavendra Urs, currently general secretary of Sahukar Channaiah block as corporator. Barring 65 elected corporators, five are nominated to the council of MCC.

Though there are not much takers for CADA, it is said that a leader from agriculture background may be accommodated.

Besides, Susheela Keshavamurthy the former chairperson of ZAK, Jayalakshmi former general secretary of KPCC women’s wing and Latha Mohan are also in the list of aspirants.

For MLC

Former chairman of KEA R Raghu, City Congress president C Dasegowda, Sahukar Channaiah block president G N Manjunath are lobbying for nomination to Legislative Council. Manjunath is also seeking a ticket to contest the polls to the council, following the resignation of BJP MLC K R Mallikarjunappa.