In Kolar, discontent in Congress ranks hits a flashpoint as 5 lawmakers threaten to resign

Bengaluru: In a big showdown in Congress, at least five lawmakers, including a minister, threatened to resign on Wednesday against the party’s decision to give the Kolar Lok Sabha election ticket to the son-in-law of senior Cabinet member K H Muniyappa.

Higher Education Minister M C Sudhakar, MLCs Naseer Ahmed and M L Anil Kumar, MLAs K Y Nanjegowda and Kothur G Manjunath dashed to Vidhana Soudha to tender their resignation, but they held back after top Congress leaders assured intervention.

Their grouse is against the Congress top brass’ decision to give the Kolar Lok Sabha, a Scheduled Castes (SC) reserved seat, ticket to K G Chikka Peddanna, the son-in-law of Muniyappa.

The Congress, however, is yet to formally announce the candidate.

Rebellion due to internal Dalit dynamics

The open rebellion in Congress has to do with the internal Dalit dynamics.

Traditionally, the SCs in Karnataka are divided into two groups: Dalit Left and Dalit Right. Muniyappa’s son-in-law Peddanna belongs to Dalit Left. However, those opposing his candidature want Congress to field a Dalit Right candidate.

“Since 1952, we haven't fielded an SC (Right) candidate. The SC (Right) is more in number with 3.8 lakh voters. If an SC (Right) candidate is fielded, the Congress can win easily,” Kumar, the MLC, said.

According to sources, the agitating lawmakers want Dalit Right leader C M Muniyappa, a contemporary of writer Devanur Mahadeva, as the Kolar candidate.

Former Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar and Bangarpet MLA S N Narayanaswamy are also against Peddanna getting the ticket.

The ongoing row also stems from animosity towards K H Muniyappa. “We don’t want Muniyappa’s family to get the ticket. We’ve already suffered enough because of him,” Manjunath, the Kolar MLA, said.

Kolar district minister BS Suresha (Byrathi) rushed to Vidhana Soudha as the party’s emissary to prevent the agitating lawmakers from resigning.

“We’ve been informed that the CM and deputy CM will talk to us. Even the high command asked us not to go ahead. So, we’ve decided to wait and see,” Sudhakar said.

Will go by whatever the party decides: Muniyappa

K H Muniyappa, a 7-time Kolar MP, described Wednesday’s rebellion as a “new development”.

He said all leaders had agreed to abide by the Congress high command’s decision. "Even now, I’ll say that I’ll go by whatever the party decides."

Earlier in the day, Muniyappa slammed Ahmed and Kumar. "I was the one who got them into the party," he said.

To this, Ahmed retorted and addressed Muniyappa in the singular. "In 1991, I was a minister when Muniyappa used to follow me around."