The Congress cadre in the district has continued to mount pressure on the party high command to issue the ticket to the sitting MP S P Muddahanumegowda.
The Tumakuru District Congress Committee (DCC) office-bearers and the workers on Saturday staged a protest here, holding the pictures of Muddahanumegowda. The Congress leadership has ceded Tumkur Lok Sabha constituency to JD(S) despite resolving, in a core committee meeting, to issue tickets to all 10 sitting Congress MPs in the state.
The agitating Congress workers threatened to defeat JD(S) candidate in Tumkur seat, even if H D Deve Gowda contests here.
“Coalition (of Congress and JD-S) is for forming a government. Alliance may work in other districts. But for Tumakuru district, it is Congress... The party has a strong base here,” Youth Congress state vice-president R Rajendra said.
The party workers and the followers of Muddahanumegowda, under the banner of Muddahanumegowda Abhimani Balaga, staged a protest in the evening, demanding that their leader be allowed to re-contest from Tumkur seat. “Muddahanumegowda has done a commendable job as MP. He has managed to get many development works and good grants from the Centre to the district. He is meted with injustice by denying him an opportunity to seek re-election from Tumkur,” they rued.
‘Coalition compulsion’
Meanwhile, KPCC Working President Eshwar Khandre said that Tumkur parliamentary seat was ceded to the JD(S) due to coalition compulsions, reports DHNS from Kalaburagi. Khandre told reporters here on Saturday that the party leaders would convince Tumkur MP Muddahanumegowda to let go the seat and placate him with a suitable position in the party.
“There will be a difference of opinion in the alliance. But, compatibility and sacrifice are inevitable. The senior party leaders are trying to pacify Tumkur MP. He will be given a suitable position in the coming days,” Khandre said.