Daijiworld Media Network-Mysuru (RJP)
Mysuru, Feb 7: Senior Congress leader from Mangaluru, Janardhan Poojary has been known always to talk his mind. Many times, he has given tough time to the leaders of his own party. But on Saturday, February 6, he went a step further in embarrassing chief minister Siddaramaiah and top party brass which included Congress leader of opposition in Lok Sabha M Mallikarjun Kharge and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dr G Parameshwara.
Poojary was addressing the gathering at the launch of ‘Gram Swaraj’ meet here opposite Maharaja’s College.
“I am happy that the chief minister is performing well. But there are complaints that some ministers are not performing. Party workers say that ministers ignore them when they go to meet them. Please remove these ministers. It was due to the efforts of the party workers that the party has come to power in the State.” Poojary said.
“If such non-performing ministers are allowed to continue, the party may not retain power in the next general elections. I may not live longer. But the nation, party and workers should live. Siddaramaiah had guts in the past. What has happened to him now? ” Poojary added.
During this time, the top party brass started muttering among them sending a message that it was uncalled-for. Poojary who continued his onslaught, at a point, called the non-performing ministers as ‘dead wood’,
Some party workers were seen trying to disrupt the speech when Siddaramaiah intervened by pacifying them which allowed Poojary to continue his speech.
In the end Poojary said that the party workers should “Stand up” which made the workers literally to stand up and shout slogans to pledge their support to the party. But the chief minister and other leaders on the dais were seen annoyed by this. Poojary told the party leaders also to stand up as the party workers did.
Some leaders on the dais also stood up to shout the party slogan. This really created some sort of chaos in the meeting. Siddaramaiah and Kharge asked the people to stop shouting and to sit.
After concluding his speech, Poojary announced that he would be leaving the venue as he had another appointment to attend. When he walked towards Siddaramaiah, Kharge and Parameshwara to say bye to them, he only received a cold shoulder from them.