Former Union Minister C.M. Ibrahim, who dissociated himself from the Congress after he was denied the post of leader of Congress in the Legislative Council, said he was in touch with Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee.
Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, he said he was launching a State-wide tour from Mysuru after meeting Suttur Mutt seer Shivarathri Deshikendra Swami to mobilise like-minded people from across the State, including North Karnataka. He said he had already declared that he would be launching a movement to bring together Lingayats and Vokkaligas along with minorities, Dalits, and backward classes under one banner to take on the AHINDA movement.
Mr. Ibrahim said a final decision on his future political course would be decided on February 14. “I will not form a new political party. My choices have narrowed down to JD(S), Samajwadi Party, and Trinamool Congress,” he said while fielding queries from reporters.
Mr. Ibrahim, who was already in touch with former Minister and BJP MLC A.H. Vishwanath said he would be meeting veteran Dalit leader and BJP MP V. Srinivas Prasad also during his visit to Mysuru. He claimed to enjoy the backing of leaders from not only the Congress and JD(S), but also the BJP and Social Democratic Party of India as well. However, he said he would be with a party that would strive to ensure that Hindus and Muslims lived in harmony.
Ruling out any possibility of returning to the Congress, Mr. Ibrahim accused the party of taking Muslims for granted. Nursing hurt over the party’s decision to overlook him for the post of Leader of Congress in the Legislative Council, Mr. Ibrahim said the Congress was under the impression that Muslims would vote for the party come what may. “Muslims are treated only as machines to cast vote for the Congress. Though Muslims vote for the Congress, they are neither given positions nor is there budgetary allocation,” he said while drawing a comparison to the budgetary allocation made to the Dalits.
He sought to remind former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah that he came with him after leaving former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and the former should have stood by him when he was wronged. “When injustice was done to me, Mr. Siddaramaiah should have resigned,” he said.
When asked whether it was Mr. Siddaramaiah or KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar, who were responsible for the denial of the post of leader of the Congress in the Legislative Council, Mr. Ibrahim said the question should be posed to them.
