Dissidence continues in Congress

Dissidence continues in Congress

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Dec 18, 2015 : The dissent in the Congress over the re-nomination of Pratapchandra Shetty as the party candidate for the election to the Legislative Council from Udupi–Dakshina Kannada Local Authorities constituency continues to simmer with the party suspending one of its councillors in Udupi City Municipal Council (CMC) for campaigning against the official candidate.

A media note issued by Udupi Block Congress Committee on Dec 17, Thursday said the party’s councillor Prashanth Amin, representing Kola ward, was found campaigning for a rebel Congress candidate. Hence he had been suspended from the Congress for “anti-party” activities.  The party is facing dissent in its ranks ever since it re-nominated  Shetty. K. Jayaprakash Hedge, former Minister and  MP, and Harikrishna Bantwal, Congress leader, have rebelled against the party and filed their nomination papers as Independents.

Councillor Amin stated that  he had so far not got the letter of suspension. He said he was campaigning for  Hegde. “I will continue to campaign for  Hegde till the end of the elections. I am confident that  Hegde will win,  there is a wave in his favour,”

 Amin said he had high regard for  Hegde as he was the only Congress leader who responded to his calls when the latter was Udupi–Chikkamagaluru MP. He had always stayed in touch with the workers,  Amin said. “Oscar Fernandes, Rajya Sabha member who was then a Union Minister, never responded to my calls even though he had two personal assistants,” he alleged.

He said he had received a letter from  Shetty a couple of months ago saying that he would not seek re-nomination as he “lacked stamina”. “When  Shetty himself did not want ticket, where was the need for giving it to him? It could have been given to any other of the 10 aspirants,” he said.

Asked if the party would expel him,  Amin said, “Let the party expel me if it wants to. I cannot stop campaigning for  Hegde. I cannot forget all his help.”