D K Suresh accuses Cong of neglecting him

Congress MP D K Suresh on Wednesday accused the party leaders of neglecting him, saying they have not involved him in the process of selecting the candidate for the post Bengaluru mayor.

KPCC president G Parameshwara had recently convened a meeting of party leaders from Bengaluru to discuss the upcoming mayoral election. But Suresh was not invited to the meeting. “People seem to have forgotten that I am a party MP and many of the BBMP wards come under my constituency. One has to assert one’s right. I don’t mind if anybody interprets it (his statements) as a revolt,” he told reporters.

Suresh, who is MP from Bangalore Rural parliamentary constituency, said both the BBMP and the state government have neglected the newly added wards, including those coming under the Bangalore Rural constituency. Hence, the post of mayor should be given to a corporator from a newly added ward. He said Velu Nayakar (Lakshimidevinagar ward) and M Anjanappa (Begur ward) are among the strong contenders for the post. “I am not insisting on any particular candidate. I am okay with any candidate representing one of the newly added wards,” he added.

Parameshwara, however, later said the party has not neglected anybody and that it will consult Suresh before selecting the candidate for the mayoral election. This apart, former Congress MLA N L Narendra Babu is likely to join the BJP soon. Babu had represented Mahalakshmi Layout constituency in Bengaluru as MLA.