Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jul 15: Even after a jumbo team of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) with 171 office bearers was formed as a war team to tackle the challenge of faring well in the next year's assembly election, duly taking care to give equal representations to various religions and castes, there are many who are disgruntled.

It is gathered that former union minster and Dalit leader, K H Muniyappa, is unhappy at lopsided representations given to sub-classes of Dalits. At the same time, Congress leader, Ravishankar Shetty, has resigned, aggrieved over not being made an office bearer during his 11-year-long association with the party since he deserted Janata Dal in 2006 and joined Congress.

It is said that the Dalit faction known as 'Yedagai' is unhappy as 12 of 17 Dalit leaders chosen as office bearers belong to the other 'Balagai' faction. Former union minister and senior party leader, K H Muniyappa, who is an influential 'Yedagai' faction leader, who was an aspirant for the post of KPCC president, is disillusioned. It is said that he is angry at the fact that the posts of KPCC president and leader of Congress parliamentary party in the Lok Sabha have gone to Parameshwara and Mallikarjun Kharge, both from the 'Balagai' faction. It is learnt that Muniyappa has expressed his resentment at the injustice suffered by his faction, to KPCC president.

In view of importance being gained by 'Yedagai' faction in BJP, which has given prominent positions to union minister, Ramesh Jigajinagi and MLA, Govind Karjol, Dalits from this section are leaning more towards BJP, it is said. To avoid this tilt, the Congress leadership was approached with demand to give prominence to 'Yedagai' faction but the leadership ignored the demand, the dissidents claim.

There is also anger at the fact that many who have owned inertia and failed to do anything for the party since the last many years have been given party positions.