Mangalore: Protest against Congress leaders for not giving ticket to Ivan D'Souza
Pics: Brijesh Garodi
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (BG)
Mangalore, Apr 6: Supporters of Congress leader Ivan D'Souza on Saturday April 6 held a protest against their others leaders Janardhan Poojary, Oscar Fernandes and Veerappa Moily, the high command and against entrepreneur Ronald Colaco for not granting party ticket to Ivan D’Souza in the upcoming legislative body election.
The protest was held on Saturday in front of the district Congress office.
The supporters who gathered shouted slogans against the higher leaders and alleged that the party ticket had been 'sold' for money.
Former mayor Ashraf said that Ivan D’souza is the one who has worked for the welfare of the party. "He was the one who has capacity to unite a large number of youth and build the party and make it strong and steady," he said.
"The 'Trimurthies' of Congress, Janardhan Poojary, Oscar Fernandes and Veerappa Moily have caused injustice to the genuine and hard working party workers. Ivan D’Souza has to be the next MLA candidate," he urged.
He further questioned the high command on the reasoning behind granting an election seat for J R Lobo.
The protestors also burnt an effigy of Ronald Colaco.
Around 20 people including Mithun Rai, Amruth V Kadri, Praveen Chandra Alva, Ashith Periera, Meryll Rego, Milad Attavar and others took part in the protest.
In a statement to Daijiworld, Ronald Colaco gave the following clarification on the matter:
"It has been brought to my notice that Ivan D'Souza and a few of his supporters have burnt my effigy and have accused for having paid money to secure the seat for J R Lobo. This might have been done probably out of sorrow for not getting the Assembly election ticket for Mangalore. As far as I know that those involved in selection of candidates for Karnataka Assembly Election such as Dr Parameshwar, Siddaramaiah, Veerappa Moily, Oscar Feranndes, Janardana Poojary and Luizinho Feleiro are known to have very clean image of non-corruption.
"I would like to state that I can afford to provide only bus and railway tickets to others and not the Assembly tickets, if the tickets are sold for money as it has been accused of. People at large very well know that since 1983, I have allocated certain portion of my NRI income to the causes of poor, social and charitable purposes and certainly not for political purposes.
"All along I have been a well wisher of Ivan D'Souza and instrumental in convincing the centre and state leaders to allocate ticket for the last Assembly Election. Even now I continue to be Ivan D'Souza's supporter and make all efforts to secure proper political position in the state since he is a dynamic leader. The decision has been taken by a number of leaders of all communities, religious leaders, intellectuals, educationists, first line and second line political leaders to promote J R Lobo for his sincerity, hard work and regional developmental works who has served in the very Assembly Constituency for long period of time, as he was the Commissioner of Mangalore City Corporation, Special DC (HQA), Joint Director of KUDCEMP, Executive Director of Pilikula Nisarga Dhama having vast experience of serving the people of this region which can have better chance of winning the Assembly seat.
"In this regard we have made our sincere efforts to convince Ivan D'Souza not to contest Assembly seat but opt for other political position which are available in the Congress Party. Therefore, I continue to pursue with more state and central leaders to consider Ivan D'Souza for suitable political position in the days ahead."