Will quit politics if HDK denies he didn't tell us to vote for Congress: Zameer

Bengaluru: Claiming that state  Janata Dal (Secular) chief H D Kumaraswamy had instructed seven of his party legislators to vote for the Congress in the last Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council polls, suspended Janata Dal (Secular) MLA, Zameer Ahmed Khan on Saturday offered to retire from politics if the former Chief Minister denied giving such a diktat.

“Let Mr Kumaraswamy come to any temple of his choice  to swear that he did not ask the seven MLAs to cross vote. I will retire from politics permanently if he does,” he told Deccan Chronicle.

The rebel leader wondered why party supremo  H D Deve Gowda and Mr Kumaraswamy had pardoned Mahalakshmipuram MLA, Gopalaiah and taken him back into the party fold when his suspension was still pending before the party disciplinary committee.

“Why are the other six legislators  being treated differently? The party must decide their fate at the earliest so  they can decide on their future course of action,” he insisted.

Mr Zameer claimed he had received an open invitation from the National Congress Party (NCP) to join it and had spoken to former Union minister, Sharad Pawar for around 30 minutes.

“Mr Pawar  volunteered to come to Bengaluru on January 15 along with Mr Praful Patel to formally induct me into the NCP. But I am waiting for the outcome of the disciplinary committee. Let them say they don’t   want us so we can go our way,” he added.

Claiming that all six suspended legislators,  Cheluvarayaswamy,  Akhanda Srinivasamurthy,  Ramesh Bandisiddegowda, and M Balakrishna had rejected an offer by the Bharatiya Janata Party to join it, he said they could, however,  join the NCP if the JD(S) failed to dispose of their case before the disciplinary committee.

Accusing the JD(S) of being anti-minority and anti-Vokkaliga, he said the party could not tolerate the growth of a second line leadership. “Why did senior Muslim leaders like C M Ibrahim and Roshan Baig leave the Janata Dal? Several Vokkaliga leaders too quit the party as they had  no say in its working.  Our party has been drubbed whenever it has neglected the Muslims and Vokkaliga leaders,” he noted.