Even though the State government has recommended the name of the former Enforcement Directorate officer H.P. Sudham Das for the Legislative Council seat under the nomination category, four senior Dalit Ministers have strongly objected to his nomination to the Upper House.
‘Contribution nil’
Home Minister G. Parameshwara, Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa, Food and Civil Supplies Minister K.H. Muniyappa, and Minister for Excise R.B. Thimmapur have written to Congress president M. Mallikarjun Kharge and said, “Mr. Das’s contribution to the Congress is nil” and “requested to consider personalities who have relentlessly worked for decades in the party and loyal soldiers of the party”.
“Mr. Das (SC-left) resigned from the post of Information Commissioner in March 2023 and joined the Congress. He is hardly a few months old in the party and his contribution for building the party or for electioneering in the recent Assembly election is almost nill,” the four Ministers said in the letter.
‘Take us into confidence’
“We must be taken into confidence before finalising the names for nomination to the Upper House. So far, neither the State leaders nor the high command has discussed the matter with us. We feel terribly let down,” the Ministers said.
Mr. Das joined the Congress ahead of the Assembly elections and leaders within the party had apparently opposed giving him the ticket to contest from the Nelamangala seat. Mr. Das’s father, H. Puttadasa, was a two-time MLA (1967 and 1972) from the erstwhile Sathanur Assembly constituency which was merged with Kanakapura after delimitation. Sources said Mr. Das, a former IRS officer, was a consultant for a few Congress leaders with regard to I-T/ED-related matters.
DKS’s promise
Sources said Mr. Shivakumar brought Mr. Das to the party with a promise of making him an MLC and he had been advocating for the same with the high command.
The four Ministers appealed to Mr. Kharge to consider the names of “good leaders” and said, “We would like to propose deserving names and request you to give us an opportunity and oblige.” Several youth leaders opposed the recommendation of Mr. Das’ name to the Governor, sources said. The other names recommended are of former Ministers M.R. Seetharam and Umashree.
