Confusion in Cong ranks

MANDYA: The issue of rebels among its farmer leaders has come to the fore among the Mandya Congress leaders again. There are differences of opinion, with local party leaders led by district president L.R. Shivaramegowda once again harping on the issue of expelling leaders, including Mandya MLA Atmananda, from the Congress for participating in the Cauvery agitation.
Shivaramegowda, who is considered the blue-eyed boy of Chief Minister Krishna and a close supporter of minister D.K.Shivakumar, on Tuesday claimed that the party high command would soon expel those leaders who had participated in the Cauvery struggle — and had taken up a stand virtually against the S.M. Krishna government.
"This is why the party has not included either Atmananda or other leaders who actively participated in the Cauvery agitation led by G. Madegowda, in the new list of the party’s district office-bearers," said Shivaramegowda, adding that the high command would soon come out with an expulsion order. Atmananda is not even included in the list of executive members of the district party, though he should have found a place by virtue of being an MLA.
Another prominent local leader who has found no place in the party executive committee is Mandya municipality president Purshottam. What has surprised many in the district is the non-inclusion of these two prominent leaders, when many a sundry leader has found a place on one or other committee and posts in the district unit of the party.
However, leaders who are said to be on the hit list of the party high command, as claimed by Shivaramegowda, denied there was a move before the party to expel those who had participated in the agitation.
"So far, I have not received any communication or letter from the party high command or district party," Atmananda claimed, adding that his knowledge about possible expulsion is restricted to news reports.
"I am unaware of any move to expel me from the party," he added.
Atmananda, who has been almost isolated in the party by Krishna’s followers, has only his roots as defence. "As a farmer and representative of the Cauvery ayacut area, I feel I was duty-bound to support the farmers’ cause and participate in the agitation," he said. And also due to his proximity to Madegowda.
However, the issue is definitely going to snowball into a major problem for the Congress, with its image taking a severe beating following the release of Cauvery water from the Krishnarajsagar dam by the Krishna government.