Bengaluru, Apr 16 (PTI) A section of the ruling Congress in Karnataka seems worried over the party’s action against some of its minority community leaders regarding allegations of internal conspiracy in the Davanagere South bypoll, as they fear that it may send a wrong message that “Muslims are being targeted” and expressed their concerns.
PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi on Thursday said that he will soon meet state president D K Shivakumar, to discuss it. Several Congress leaders have also expressed concerns internally, according to party sources.
“Let’s see. I will meet the party state president and discuss it. Because the wrong message shouldn’t go out that after Valmiki, now the Muslim community is being targeted. I will meet Shivakumar and discuss,” Jarkiholi said in response to a question about whether CM Siddaramaiah’s confidants were being targeted — after Rajanna, now Naseer Ahmed and Abdul Jabbar, and next will be Zameer Ahmed Khan.
Jarkiholi was addressing the media here.
Jarakiholi’s reference to the Valmiki community is in connection with the sacking of K N Rajanna in August last year on the instructions of the party high command, following his alleged comments criticising top party leader Rahul Gandhi’s “vote theft” charge.
Meanwhile, a representative body of Ulema (Islamic religious scholars) in Karnataka expressed dissatisfaction with recent political developments surrounding the April 9 Davanagere Assembly by-election and raised concerns about the minority community’s representation.
The Congress has suspended MLC K Abdul Jabbar from the party’s primary membership and relieved another MLC Naseer Ahmed from the post of Chief Minister’s political secretary. This action came after a group of Muslim leaders accused members of their own party of “conspiracy” to defeat the official candidate in Davanagere South.
Following the action against Jabbar and Naseer Ahmed, speculation is that Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan may also face action during the next cabinet rejig, as these three wanted a Muslim to get the bypoll ticket in Davanagere South, which the party gave to the late MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa’s grandson Samarth Mallikarjun.
A rift surfaced within the Karnataka Congress on April 10, a day after bypolls to two Assembly constituencies, when a group of Muslim leaders alleged an “internal conspiracy” by some senior party leaders to defeat the official candidate in Davanagere South, where the minority community has a significant presence.
They said the party named Samarth Mallikarjun as the candidate after considering all factors and taking Muslim leaders into confidence. Despite this, a campaign–allegedly involving some within the party–projected the Congress as having “betrayed” minorities by denying them the ticket.
Chief Whip in the Legislative Council, Saleem Ahmed, MLAs Rizwan Arshad and Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, MLC Bilkis Bano and other leaders addressed a joint press conference recently, alleging an “internal conspiracy”.
Though the leaders did not name anyone, party sources said their remarks were directed at Zameer Ahmed Khan, Jabbar, and Naseer Ahmed.
Khan, who had openly demanded the Davanagere South ticket for a Muslim candidate, initially stayed away from campaigning in the constituency, citing commitments related to the Kerala polls. However, he later addressed a press meet with Samarth’s father and Minister S S Mallikarjun at the request of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Jabbar, who hails from Davanagere, and Naseer Ahmed had not actively participated in campaigning. There are some reports alleging that the leaders even helped the SDPI candidate in the bypoll. PTI KSU KH
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