Zameer dares Tanveer on popularity; wants bigger car

Congress leader B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan has hit out at party colleague Tanveer Sait over the latter's remarks against him.

Khan, who is also the Food and Civil Supplies Minister, on Tuesday questioned Sait’s stature as a Muslim leader in the party, saying that the high command would have picked Sait for the Cabinet if he really was the face of the community.

The minister also threw a challenge at Sait on his popularity in his own constituency, Narasimharaja in Mysuru.

“I will visit his constituency. Let him also come. We will see who manages to mobilise a large crowd. Then, he will realise who is the leader,” he told reporters on seeking his reaction to Sait’s recent comment that Khan was unfit to represent the Muslim community.

“The Congress has done a proper survey of leaders and selected able leaders to become ministers. This has obviously upset leaders like Roshan Baig and Sait,” he said. Khan denied Sait’s charge that he tried to defeat him in the elections.

The minister said he had sought a big car for his use from the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR).

“I am used to travelling in a big car. The Toyota Innova car given by the DPAR is a small one. It will be good if the Toyota Fortuner that Siddaramaiah (former chief minister) was using is given to me,” he said.