Mari Gowda is back, but Congress won't gain much

Bengaluru: The revocation of suspension of K Mari Gowda, former president of Mysuru Zilla Panchayat and an aide of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, could boomerang on the ruling Congress as the move will provide adequate ammunition for former minister V Srinivas Prasad to attack the government for it anti-Dalit posture in the run-up to Nanjangud Assembly bypoll.

Mr Mari Gowda was arrested and suspended from the party for threatening deputy commissioner C Shikha, a dalit IAS Officer.

He was suspended for six years, but reinstated in less than six months following pressure from Mr Siddaramaiah in view of the upcoming bypoll.

A Kuruba leader, Mr Mari Gowda has considerable clout in the district as he once headed the Zilla Panchayat.

Some leaders, however, questioned the lightening speed at which his suspension was revoked given the fact that Mr Srinivas Prasad was criticizing the anti-Dalit stand of the state government.

“This is nothing but an invitation to trouble that too when Mr Srinivasprasad is playing the Dalit card to woo his community voters. The former minister will definitely lambaste the government for meting out injustice to a dalit IAS officer by the Chief Minister,” they opined.

Meanwhile, Mr Srinivas Prasad seems to have made up his mind to join the BJP ahead of the by-poll.

He seems confident of securing the votes of Dalits and Lingayats voters who are almost equal in number in this constituency. On the other hand, the Congress has been toying with the idea of fielding Mr Subhas Bose, son of public works minister Dr H C Mahadevappa though his name has been linked to illegal sand mining in the district. Dr Mahadevappa has reportedly started wooing leaders of opposition parties to ensure his son's victory much before the announcement of the poll date. His mission, however, could encounter hurdles if disgruntled party workers and leaders unite to work against Mr Bose.