Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Dec 11: Congressman Harikrishna Bantwal, who will be contesting the upcoming MLC elections as an independent candidate, on Friday December 11 lashed out at Rajya Sabha MP Oscar Fernandes and asserted that he would not withdraw his nomination.

Addressing a press meet here, Harikrishna Bantwal said, "I will not withdraw my nomination. I know only to file application but not to withdraw it. Anything I do, I do it in a straightforward manner. I know only to go forward and not backward.

"Politics is my hobby and not profession. Basically I am an agriculturist. I am not here for power. I have been in politics from 43 years, out of which, I have been close to senior Congress leader Janardhan Poojary for 33 years. Poojary had good relations with Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, so if I wanted power, I could have got it long ago. I have never asked for ticket even for gram panchayat elections. Even when Poojary had asked me to contest previous elections, I had refused," he said.

Training guns on Rajya Sabha MP Oscar Fernandes, he said, "I read in media that some leaders have stated that Oscar Fernandes did not build the party. Yes, he did not build the party, and he doesn't even know who built it. It is because of Janardhan Poojary that Oscar became MP. Poojary identified him and referred him to Indira Gandhi - this is a fact.

"Oscar has been Lok Sabha MP four times and Rajya Sabha MP three times, but has he got even a single tangible achievement that can be heard of or seen? What good has he done to his constituency despite so many tenures as MP?" he lashed out.

In a veiled reference to Congress MLC candidate Pratapchandra Shetty, he said, "Only those who really work for the party should get the ticket. Unfortunately, power also comes to those who do not work for the party. You can see this in our district itself. Those who have no identity in this district are brought here and projected as a brand and given power as political representatives.

"The person who said he was not interested in politics has been given the ticket. How did he change his mind in 20 days? I am contesting not out of my own wish but all the party workers who came to me said that Pratapchandra Shetty is not even visiting panchayats or offices. There have been 164 meetings in Mangaluru City Corporation, but Pratapchandra has not attended even a single one of them. MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary of BJP has been visiting every village and he also speaks in the Legislative Council. But Pratapchandra Shetty has never opened his mouth. Hence the party workers urged me to contest," he added.

"There are 60 percent of backward class communities in the district but the Congress has never given ticket to anybody from these communities. Chief minister and other Congress leaders speak about Ahinda and backward communities, but why is it that importance is not given to them when it comes to selecting election candidates?" he questioned.

"I am not saying give the ticket only to me, if you (Congress) want to give it to some in the Bunts community, then there are more able people than Pratapchandra Shetty, such as Kallige Tharanath Shetty and A C Bhandary who have sincerely worked for the community. In the entire Udupi and Dakshina Kannada, did you not find anyone other than Pratapchandra?" he added.

On an emotional note, Harikrishna said, "My father had 8 acres of land but I did not take it. Whatever I have today is only due to my sheer hard work I am not under any obligation. I am a committed member of the party, and not its coolie. I never took a single paise to work for the party even when campaigning for Janardhan Poojary and Ramanath Rai during elections."

Explaining the chain of events before he filed his nomination, Harikrishna said, "This time, Poojary told me not to file nomination but after four days he took my biodata and promised to speak to Sonia Gandhi. Ramanath Rai also told me contest. In the entire DK district, only my name was referred to KPCC. After holding discussions with me and the district Congress, Ramanath Rai took me to the chief minister who assured that I have the ability to become MLC, and told me to talk to Oscar. When I met KPCC president Parameshwar, he also told me to speak to Oscar. Even MLA J R Lobo said I was an asset to the party and the right choice for this election. I spoke to all the leaders like U T Khader, Vasanth Bangera, Pramod Madhwaraj, Vinay Kumar Sorake and also twice to Oscar Fernandes.

"Oscar said I was the best candidate for the elections, but that after Ramanath Rai's recommendation, he had two people in mind. I even met Ahmed Patel and Digvijay Singh, but ultimately I was not chosen," he said.

"I am ready to face any consequences. Even if disciplinary action is taken against me, I am ready for it. If importance is not given to sincere party workers, the party will not survive. Congress is important to this country," he added.

He also alleged that the Congress had violated its own policy in choosing Oscar Fernandes as Rajya Sabha MP for the third term. "In 1996, the party had passed a policy that those who had lost the MP elections cannot be Rajya Sabha members for two terms, and those who had been Rajya Sabha members for two terms should contest the Lok Sabha elections. But Oscar was chosen Rajya Sabha member for three consecutive terms, thus violating this policy. Why is there only policy for party workers and another for Oscar?"

He also said that if he became the MLC, he would raise the issues of Yettinahole project and the proposed Niddodi power plant.