Muniyappa blamed for rift in Cong

“Muniyappa attempted to rupture the very foundation of the Congress laid by leaders like Venkatagiriyappa and C Bhyregowda. He would not have stooped to the level of engineering factionalism had he possessed a minimum experience of a Gram Panchayat member,” Gowda said at a meeting of his supporters in the Forest Guest House of Gajaladinne here on Sunday.

Anti-party activities

Gowda, who launched a vitriolic attack against Muniyappa alleged that it was Muniyappa and his supporters who were engaged in anti-party activities during 2008. Unfortunately, people who injected indiscipline into the party organisation are now speaking of party unity, he chided.

“There are two Congresses here. Ours is National Congress and theirs, the Muniyappa Congress. The contest is between the two,” Gowda said claiming credit in Panchayat elections to himself and his supporters.

Continuing the barrage of allegations, Srinivasa Gowda charged Muniyappa with scuttling the appointment of Krishnabyre Gowda as the president of Karnataka Youth Congress, by conveying a “wrong” message to the high command. “Krishnabyregowda was instrumental in me securing highest votes in Vemagal constituency,” he recalled.

Heartburn

Tracing the genesis of “difference of opinion” between himself and Muniyappa to the spanners thrown in appointment of Krishnabyregowda, the former MLA charged Muniyappa of not making any efforts towards rapprochement.

Declaring his support to the Congress candidate Naseer Ahmed in the forthcoming elections to Legislative Council from local body constituencies, Srinivasa Gowda “advised” District Congress Committee president Bissegowda to halt functioning as Muniyappa’s rubber stamp and act on his own.

“Bissegowda has said that my support is not required for the victory in MLC elections. But they are conspiring to ensure the defeat of the party candidate. Irrespective of their statement, you all should vote for Naseer Ahmed,” he urged his supporters. Using choicest of abuses against Muniyappa and Bissegowda, he said that it was because of him that Muniyappa was able to secure a lead of 96,000 votes in the Parliamentary elections in 2004. “However, Muniyappa has forgotten all this. A house cannot remain intact if the owner himself is hell bent on demolishing it,” he remarked figuratively.

Claiming that members of 36 Gram Panchayats in Kolar and four GPs in Bangarpet taluk were with him, Srinivasa Gowda said that all these representatives will vote for Naseer Ahmed.

Taluk Panchayat president V B Udayashankar, vice-president T V Jayalakshmi, Zilla Panchayat vice-president Naveeda Khanum, members Mangamma Muniswamy, Balaji Chennaiah and others were present.

Meanwhile, Kissan Khet Mazdoor Congress has declared its support to the Congress candidate Naseer Ahmed.  In a meeting of the district unit of the organisation held recently, president Busanahalli Anjinappa and other leaders called upon the members to work for the victory of party candidate setting aside all differences.