Cong high command may act against Janardhana Poojary: Gundu Rao

MYSURU: Senior Congress leader Janardhana Poojary’s continued attack on chief minister Siddaramaiah and his prediction that the party will lose the Nanjangud bypoll, has left state Congress leaders fuming.
KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao on Monday hinted that the party high command might take disciplinary action against Poojary for his tirade against Siddaramaiah. “The issue has been brought to the notice of the party high command, which could act against Poojary,” Dinesh said.
Speaking to reporters here, Dinesh said Poojary has violated party discipline by publicly speaking against the CM and also predicting the party’s defeat in the Nanjangud byelection.“Poojary’s action is unacceptable. He (Poojary), being a senior leader, should abide by the party discipline,’’ he said.
The working president said that the party will take all senior leaders into confidence while devising the poll strategy. The CM will attend the meeting and get feedback from the party leaders, he stated.
Dinesh, however, refused to comment on the possibility of fielding public works minister H C Mahadevappa’s son Sunil Bose in the byelection. “We are yet to decide on the candidate. Four observers have been deputed to collect the feedback from the ground before deciding a candidate. I don’t know about Bose’s efforts to get the ticket.”
On Prasad’s entry into BJP, Dinesh said the lure for power has made him (Prasad) blind. “The CM has said that he will drop seven or eight ministers well before the cabinet reshuffle. So to say that the CM did not inform Prasad before dropping him is not correct. Prasad is misleading people in this regard,” the working president said.
Vishwanath’s plea to party chief
Keeping with the party’s one-man, one-post rule, KPCC president G Parameshwara, who is also the home minister, should give up one post, said senior Congress leader Adagooru H Vishwanath.
“It appears that Parameshwara is not able to concentrate on his dual responsibilities. So it is better if he gives up one post. As the assembly elections are just one year away, it is important to focus on strengthening the party base. Having a full time KPCC chief is very important at this juncture,” the former Mysuru MP said at a party workers’ meeting here on Monday.
However, KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao sought to distance himself from the issue, saying it is for the party high command to decide.
Vishwanath also suggested the party leadership to collect feedback from the district units and legislators on the issue. He also said that several leaders and workers are not happy in the party, which needs to be addressed immediately.
Low turnout leaves Dinesh fuming
Dinesh expressed his ire against the elected representatives, mainly the corporators, for not attending Monday’s meeting held at the Jaganmohan Palace auditorium.
After seeing a low turnout of party leaders at the meeting, Dinesh said: “I am not going to take this lightly if such a trend continues. All should work for strengthening the party’’