Bengaluru, Sep 14 (IANS) Congress’ Karnataka President B.K. Hariprasad has reportedly expressed serious displeasure over not being invited to the dais during the 100-day celebration of the D.K. Shivakumar-led state government, party sources said on Monday.
Hariprasad, who is also a Congress MLC, is said to have conveyed his unhappiness to the party high command over his exclusion from the stage at the government event. The high command has reportedly sought details regarding the issue.
During the 100-day celebration, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara were seated on the dais and addressed the gathering. Hariprasad was not seen on the stage, despite being the state Congress President.
Sources said Hariprasad expressed his reservations in his close circles, questioning why he was not invited to the stage for a significant government event. He is also learnt to have pointed out that he was the party’s state President and an MLC and that not even a single photograph of him from the event was published.
“100-day celebration event is over. I am the President of the party and an MLC. It was a significant government event. Not a single photograph was published,” Hariprasad is learnt to have said, alleging that his exclusion was intentional.
The development has triggered discussions within the Congress at a time when differences among senior leaders over party and government affairs have been under scrutiny.
Reacting to the controversy on Monday, Chief Minister Shivakumar dismissed the suggestion that Hariprasad had not been invited to the event.
The Chief Minister, who was visiting his native Kanakapura, said invitations had been extended to everyone and that seating arrangements had been made according to protocol.
“Who said we have not invited Hariprasad? We had invited all MLAs, including those from the Opposition. Hariprasad is our party President. Whatever the party dictates, we jointly have to implement,” he said.
Shivakumar also alleged that the media was unnecessarily giving a political colour to the issue.
“All officers and everyone were sent invitations,” he said.
Meanwhile, responding to questions about vacant posts in the state Cabinet and senior Congress leaders awaiting Cabinet expansion, Shivakumar said he would fill the vacancies whenever the party high command directed him to do so.
“Whenever the party asks me to fill the posts, I will do it,” he said.
Shivakumar also remarked that the media appeared to be more interested in the Cabinet expansion than senior leaders of the party.
–IANS
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