Zameer, Mallikarjun present united front in Davangere

Days after their public fallout, ministers B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan and S S Mallikarjun presented a united front on Sunday with the former saying that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has instructed him to campaign for party’s candidate in Davangere South.

At a press conference in Davangere, both Mallikarjun and Zameer said that they were working together to secure the party’s victory.  

Zameer is entrusted the responsibility of Congress’s campaign in ten districts in neighbouring Kerala, where he
had been camping since March 26.

However, Siddaramaiah spoke to senior Congress leader K C Venugopal, and impressed on the latter the need for Zameer to campaign in the two constituencies headed for the byelection.

“So, I have come here to campaign for Samarth. I will also campaign in Bagalkot for two days. If the need arises, I will come to Davangere again,” said Zameer.

During his visit to Davanagere a few months ago, Muslims had appealed to Zameer to secure the Congress ticket for a Muslim candidate.

“I had told them I will discuss their request with the party high command. This led to some unpleasantness in the party. The high command, however, decided to field Samarth on the grounds that the ticket be given to a member of the bereaved family of Shamanur Shivashankarappa,” added Zameer.

‘No enmity’

Mallikarjun, meanwhile, downplayed the spat with Zameer. “Zameer and I are close friends, both of whom refer to each other in the singular. It was one bad moment. There is no enmity between us,” said Mallikarjun.