Businessman Ashok Kheny joins Congress, Loyal party workers protest

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Bengaluru, March 5, 2018: Controversial businessman and MLA Ashok Kheny joined the Congress at a function held at Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office in Bengaluru on Monday morning. He officially joined the party in the presence of Home Minister Dr G Parameshwar and Energy Minister D K Shivakumar.

But, a group of Congress workers protested against Mr Kheny joining the party.They walked from the residence of former Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh to the Congress office holding the party flag and shouting slogans against the “neglect of loyal workers.” They burnt an image of Mr. Kheny and shouted slogans. They said that loyal party workers who had spent decades in building the party in the district and in Bidar south constituency, had been neglected. They said that individuals like Mr. Kheny who had been critical of the Congress leaders and the State government should not be given important positions in the party. They also demanded that though he was welcome to join the party, he should spend at least five years in organisational work before getting a ticket to contest polls.

“We are disappointed that our services to the party have been neglected. Mr. Kheny is joining the party only because he knows that he will not be re-elected if he contests from KPM or as an independent. He has no commitment towards the Congress ideology,” Ajay Kumar, taluk panchayat president, said.

Mohammad Ghousuddin, taluk panchayat member, said that “Several leaders were trying to join the Congress as they knew that the party was coming back to power. They are not here to serve the society. They only want power. Congress should not accept them.” He demanded that Mr. Kheny serve the party and organise it in the rural areas before being fielded as the party nominee in the Assembly polls.