In a major setback to ruling Congress in Karnataka captained by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, a senior Congress leader and a former Minister V Srinivas Prasad quit the party and also submitted his resignation to Karnataka Assembly. Prasad a powerful Dalit leader from Mysuru region blamed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his unceremonious exit from the Cabinet in the last reshuffle and called the Chief Minister
“Brutus” in the party. Prasad who was miffed at being unceremoniously dropped from Siddaramaiah Cabinet during the recent reshuffle was spitting fire and decided to quit Congress and as an MlA.
He said in Bengaluru on Monday in a Press conference “defeating Siddaramaiah in the next election is my mission now”. Both the Opposition parties BJP and JDs are keen on luring Prasad a force to reckon with. Prasad who hails from Mysuru was a close associate of Siddaramaiah, feels he was humiliated by Siddaramaiah. Prasad represented Nanjangud constituency and was a revenue minister in Siddaramaiah’s cabinet before he was dropped by the Chief Minister four months ago, ostensibly to make the Ministry more effective.
Prasad said his ouster was a humiliation at the fag end of a 45-year-long political career and also targeted veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, whose son Priyank Kharge took his place in the Cabinet.
BJP and JD(S) leaders are now wooing Srinivas Prasad, who wouldn’t disclose his political plans. "I have to discuss it with my supporters and well-wishers before taking a decision. I am not in a hurry," he said. BJP, JD (S) and BSP are trying to woo the senior leader from Mysuru to field him as a candidate in the ensuing bypoll, though sources said Prasad is likely to contest as an independent candidate.
Earlier in the day Prasad submitted his resignation to Assembly Speaker KB Koliwad but yet to announce his future plans. Prasad said “I am hurt by the chief minister's statement that the cabinet rejig was to strengthen the government. Not once did the CM ask about my health or hint that he was unhappy with my performance as the minister. Despite my good performance, I was unceremoniously dropped from the cabinet."
Alleging that the party is being controlled by a coterie comprising six leaders in the State, he said: “AICC General Secretary in charge of Karnataka Digvijay Singh, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, leader of opposition in lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, KPCC president and Home Minister G. Parameshwara, K.J. George and D.K. Shivakumar are having the last word.”
The exit of Prasad will have a cascading effect in the 2018 assembly polls which is crucial for the Congress. Many feel his exit will have repercussion on the Congress which is keen on retain power in Karnataka, only big state in its kitty.