Rahul’s assurance makes Youth Cong prez bury dissidence

Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada Youth Congress president Mithun Rai, who stirred up a hornet’s nest by dissenting over denial of a party ticket to contest from Moodbidri, has decided to bury the hatchet after AICC president Rahul Gandhi promised him, “something big”.
On Wednesday, senior Congress leaders succeeded in pacifying Rai, who has a large number of followers. Presidents and office-bearers of eight blocks of the Youth Congress in the district had recently announced their resignations as a token of protest against the denial of a ticket to Mithun Rai.

On Thursday, Rai held a press conference along with Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee president K Harish Kumar, KPCC general secretary U B Venkatesh and Youth Congress office-bearers, to announce that the youth wing in the district will strive for the victory of all eight party candidates.

Rai told reporters that he was an aspirant for the Moodbidri constituency, but he had not applied for a ticket. “My supporters, including office-bearers of Youth Congress blocks and NSUI, were embarrassed after a ticket was denied to me. I had an opportunity to talk to AICC chief Rahul Gandhi in Delhi. The party chief has asked me to work for his national team. He has given me the task of building the party, not only in Dakshina Kannada, but also in other districts. There is something more coming my way,” Rai said, without disclosing the position Rahul Gandhi offered as a compensation for the loss he suffered after missing a party ticket.

“The whole Youth Congress team in Dakshina Kannada will work for the success of party candidates,” he added.

It may be recalled that the office-bearers of the Youth Congress in eight blocks, and NSUI district unit had held separate press meets, expressing displeasure over denial of a party ticket to Mithun Rai. They had also tendered mass resignations to the party.