Former Minister Kimmane Ratnakar has accused Congress leader R.M. Manjunath Gowda of ignoring leaders of the party while organising a protest march demanding compensation for land losers of Sharavathi and other projects.
In a press release issued on Friday, Mr. Ratnakar said Mr. Manjunath Gowda carried photos of Congress leaders in the posters meant for the protest march, without consulting the local unit of the party. “This amounts to anti-party activity. He has sidelined people who worked for the party for years and encouraged groups within the party. It would be inevitable for the party to expel him from the party”, he said.
Further, he said the protest march by Mr. Gowda was an attempt to seek a chance from any of the parties to contest next time. “Let him continue his efforts. Before that, I wish he comes out of the allegations of corruption he has been facing. Let him pay ₹122 crore to the government and contest from any party”, he said.
Congress party district president H.S. Sundaresh told the media in Shivamogga on Saturday that Mr. Kimmane Ratnakar’s statement was an internal issue of the party. The differences would be resolved, he added.
