JD(S) leader dares Congress to declare Muslim CM candidate

Sharavana alleged that Zameer, who started his political career from JD(S), had forgotten his roots

If the Congress is committed to promoting minority leaders, it should declare a Muslim candidate for the post of the chief minister or deputy CM or even as the Leader of the Opposition, JD(S) leader T A Sharavana said Monday.

Lashing out at Congress legislator Zameer Ahmed Khan, who had earlier dared the JD(S) to declare a Muslim CM candidate, Sharavana said perhaps the Congress should first follow its own leader's suggestion. "Let the Congress also tell us how many Muslims have been given an opportunity to contest the Assembly polls," he charged.

Alleging that Zameer, who started his political career from JD(S), had forgotten his roots, Sharavana reminded that it was former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy who discovered Zameer and gave him an opportunity.

Meanwhile, Zameer continued his attack on Kumaraswamy.

"Kumaraswamy's recent rants against RSS is only in the interest of garnering Muslim votes in the upcoming bypolls," he said. "Kumaraswamy has alleged that Siddaramaiah is thwarting Muslim leaders. It's to the contrary. When I was in the JD(S), I was given only Haj and Wakf as a minister, whereas Congress gave me four portfolios including Haj and Wakf, minority affairs, food and civil supplies and consumer affairs," he said.

"Forget Muslims, Kumaraswamy has snubbed his own brother's (H D Revanna) prospects. The only reason he didn't hand over power to BJP as promised during the 2006 JD(S)-BJP coalition was because he was afraid that Revanna will become the deputy CM," Zameer charged.