Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Dec 15: Reliable sources said that a number of Congress and JDS MLAs apart from some independent legislators are preparing to jump to Nationalist Congress Party headed by Sharad Pawar.  The names of people doing the rounds are, Malikayya V Guttedar, B C Patil, Prakash Hukkeri, Babu Rao Chinchanasur, Rajashekhar Patil Humnabad, A S Patil Nadahalli, and Amaregouda Bayyapur from the Congress, Subhash Guttedar from the JDS, and independents, Gulihatti Shekhar, D Sudhakar, and Shivaraj Tangadagi. Names of former MLAs, L R Shivarame Gowda and M S Atmananda are also being coined in this connection.

In the recent past, there were speculations that former Chief Minister, B S Yeddyurappa, was planning to join the NCP, if his party failed to meet his aspirations of either regaining either his lost position, or the position of the state chief of the party.

It is said that the legislators, led by Malikayya Guttedar, are frustrated at the attempts of the party’s senior leaders to stunt their growth. “We committed a mistake by coming to this party. We are in a position where nothing is moving. We will soon meet NCP president, Sharad Pawar, and discuss the issues before taking a decision on taking a plunge,” one of these legislators said.

These MLAs, who hail mostly from Hyderabad Karnataka region, are angry at the clout wielded by Congress leaders, Mallikarjun Kharge and Dharam Singh, in the party affairs. They say that their opinions are not being given any credence by the party high command, and also that these two MPs have been ensuring that their own children get the chance to fight bypolls and youth Congress polls, to the detriment of the disgruntled legislators.

It is also said that these legislators, under instructions from Sharad Pawar, had even tried to woo Siddaramaiah into their side. However, Siddarmaiah reportedly told them that he is happy with the Congress as of now. Startled by this development, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, G Parameshwar, is said to have contacted these MLAs and invited them to have threadbare discussions on all issues. In the meanwhile, a meeting held on Wednesday under the leadership of party treasurer, Shyamanur Shivashankarappa, also is said to have expressed dissatisfaction at the lack of prominence Lingayat community enjoys in Congress party.

In the backdrop of these developments, it would be interesting to watch for strategies the KPCC president will evolve to keep his flock together.