He is miffed with party for cajoling Sangliana

The suspense over the future course of action of senior leader C K Jaffer Sharief continues, as he is keeping his cards close to his chest. 

Miffed with the party for not being given the ticket to contest the elections, Sharief has dispatched his resignation letter to the Congress leadership. But, he will continue to be active in politics and “will support secular forces in the coming elections”.

Close aides of the Muslim leader, who is currently on a pilgrimage to Mecca, has decided that he will neither contest the coming polls nor join any other party. He is likely to campaign for secular forces, including the JD(S), in the State – a move apparently aimed at keeping the Congress leaders on tenterhooks.

Sharief is said to have emailed his resignation letter to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on March 22.

According to a member of the Central Muslim Committee (CMC), the senior Congressman has said that he will continue to be away from the Congress party and is “ready to campaign for any other party”. It is said that the decision was conveyed to JD(S) national president H D Deve Gowda through fax and e-mail.

Sharief had rebelled against the party for not giving him the ticket to contest from Bangalore Central parliamentary constituency. He refused to budge despite Chief Minister Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC chief G Parameshwara trying to console him. Though he was cosying up to the JD(S) leaders, who were keen to field him in Mysore, he did not take any hasty decision. 

Sources in the Congress said Sharief’s decision not to join other parties is a clear indication that he is still open for negotiations. The resignation letter is only a part of his pressure tactics. That is the reason why the party has so far not accepted his resignation letter and it is unlikely to be accepted at least till the elections are over.

Besides the JD(S), the NCP, the SP and the BSP are learnt to have offered him the ticket to contest from Bangalore Central. But he has turned down all offers.

His close aides said Sharief was upset with the disparity shown  by the Congress high command in treating H T Sangliana and himself. While Sangliana was invited to Delhi for talks soon after he expressed his ire, the high command has not bothered to talk to him so far.

Sharief considered the episode as the last straw and resigned from the Congress. Sangliana was upset with the party for not fielding a Christian from anywhere in the State.