Bangarappa Close, striking a deal with Congress
Bangalore, Jul 8 (DC): Former chief minister Sarekoppa Bangarappa ended his year-long hibernation by meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi this morning and offered his services to strengthen the party, a euphemism to staking claim for leadership of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee.
The old warhorse, who maintained a low profile after he lost to B.Y. Raghavendra in his home constituency, Shimoga, in Lok Sabha polls last year, met Mrs Gandhi to push his candidature. He was accompanied by his son Madhu Bangarappa during the 30-minute meeting with Gandhi.
“We discussed national and state issues and some of the misdeeds of the BJP government in Karnataka. She is concerned about the BJP getting entrenched in our state and wanted to know how to recoup our position. I have offered my services to strengthen the party. I have also suggested a revamp of the state unit to boost our party’s prospects in future,” he told Deccan Chronicle.
Did he get any indication on the post? “It is obviously difficult for the Congress president to tell me now as the election process is underway. I will await her decision,” he said.
Bangarappa said he would meet defence minister A.K. Antony and other senior leaders and discuss strategies to strengthen the party’s support base in Karnataka.
Meanwhile, party sources said several members of the old guard of Congress—AICC general secretary Oscar Fernandes, former Union minister C.K. Jaffer Sharief, former chief minister Dharam Singh and Union labour minister Mallikarjun Kharge have backed Bangarappa’s candidature on grounds that he continues to be a crowd-puller particularly among the backward classes, scheduled castes and minorities. He also holds sway over a section of Lingayats in his home district.
The source said his rapport with Janata Dal (S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda would help the party knit a formidable opposition in the Old Mysore area.