Congmen feel those who toiled should have got berths'

Eshwar Khandre, who served as Minister for Municipal Administration in the Siddaramaiah government, has created a record of sorts by winning the Bhalki Assembly seat for the third time. Although the Khandre family has enjoyed total sway over the Bhalki seat since 1972, none of the candidates, including veteran leader Bheemanna Khandre, was able to register a hattrick.

In recent months before the Assembly polls, Mr Khandre hit the limelight after he differed with the Siddaramaiah government’s stance on the issue of according independent religion status to the Lingayats and was on the same page as senior Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa. In the vaccum created following the demise of former chief minister N. Dharam Singh, Mr Khandre, as the Bidar district in-charge minister, led the Congress party which won four of the total six seats, a record since 1972. 

But missing a berth in the coalition government has left both Mr Eshwar as well as his supporters highly disappointed. Mr Khandre, was so cut up with the development that he not only addressed a media conference to vent his anger, he also skipped a programme organised for felicitating the Humnabad MLA Mr Rajashekhar Patil,( Minister for Mines and Geology), which was attended by none other than veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge. In a candid interview, Mr Khandre spoke on various issues. Here are excerpts. 

Even though the Congress failed to get majority at the state level and fared badly in the rest of Hyderabad-Karnataka region, it recorded an impressive performance in Bidar district winning four of the total six seats. What are the reasons for this according to you?
This is true because in 2009, we had won only two seats; this time we won four seats that too with impressive margins. We have lost two seats by a thin margin. If we had put in some more effort, we could have wrested those two seats – Aurad and Bidar South – as well. Till the Seventies, Bidar district was a strong bastion of the Congress. But later ,due to the differences among leaders here, the party became a divided house. In 2010 when I became the President of the Bidar District Congress Committee, I took all leaders into confidence and tried to build the party. In 2014, we suffered a setback in the Bidar Lok Sabha election due to the Modi wave. 

The 2016 byelection to the Bidar North East seat held by late Gurupadappa Nagamarapally was a turning point. As most of the  area that became part of Bidar North constituency was earlier part of my constituency, Bhalki, I strove hard for the victory of A. Rahim Khan. This was followed by our victory  in the taluk and zilla panchayat elections which laid a strong foundation for the Congress. When I became Muncipal Administration and district in-charge Minister I worked tirelessly for the development of the district bringing in thousands of crores of rupees for various development works. This had helped us register an impressive performance in this election.

Considering your performance as the district incharge minister and also the resounding victory of the party, you should have been rewarded with a ministerial post? Do you feel let down by the party?
It’s true that a large number of our party leaders and workers are disappointed over denial of a ministerial berth to me. In their opinion, the leader who toiled hard and worked sincerely for the development of the district and also ensured the victory of the party should have been rewarded. Moreover the workers are of the view that as I have initiated or launched several development works in the district during my tenure as the district in- charge min ister, these works would have been taken to their logical end if I had continued to be minister.

You even called a media conference to express your dissatisfaction?
Yes, it’s true. The three of us – myself, Bidar North MLA Rahim Khan and Basavakalyan MLA B Narayana – addressed the media to demand a ministerial post.

Why do you think Rajashekhar Patil has been made minister? Do you think he blackmailed the party into giving him the berth by threatening to quit when efforts were underway to cobble together a coalition government?
I don’t know what made the Congress high command to make him Minister. I have no personal differences with Rajashekhar Patil.  But there is a feeling among a section of people that the party has preferred a legislator who had openly expressed his desire to quit the party when it did not have a majority.  However, as a disciplined soldier of the Congres party, I will not revolt, but work for its comprehensive development.

What are your views regarding the failure of the Siddaramaiah government to ensure that the Congress got a majority in the polls? How far did the Lingayat factor work against it in the election?
I am disappointed with the poll outcome. Despite having done extraordinarily well in development works, the party failed to get a majority. This is largely due to the misinformation campaign launched by the opposition.

So the Lingayat factor played no role?
The people have given their verdict and the results are there before us to see. Although initially the Siddaramaiah government had tried to help the community by recommending  separate religion status, as the days passed, an impression gained ground that it was done to divide the Veerashaivas and Lingayats. The wrong opinion created among the people  resulted in this outcome.

Where does the Lingayat-Veerashaiva issue stand now? Is it dead or still alive? There are calls being made for unification of both groups.
I have always held the view that both Lingayats and Veerashaivas are one and the same, there is no change in my stand. I will continue to advocate this view. Though some leaders and also the Swamijis tried hard to divide the people, the common people have demonstrated that they have remained united for centuries and they will remain united.

There are reports that your name is being considered for the KPCC President’s post. Do you welcome it or will you press for a ministerial berth?
I have seen these reports in the media. As a loyal worker of the party, I will accept whatever responsibility is given to me by the high command.

With regard to the coalition government, there is a widespread feeling that it will harm the prospects of the Congress in South Karnataka or the Old Mysore region. What do you feel about the Hyderabad Karnataka region? 
Whether it is South Karnataka or North Karnataka, the Congress is the single largest party and our desire has been to get a majority at the state level to rule. As the people have not given a clear mandate, the coalition government has been formed to keep away the communal BJP. Our aim is to form a grand alliance at the national level under the leadership of Congress to defeat the BJP. Although the coalition government is facing initial hiccups, which are quite common, they will be taken care of by the Coordination Committee and good governance will be delivered.

N Dharam Singh, who contested the previous two elections from Bidar Lok Sabha seat is no more there. Considering your image and performance as Minister, you may be a fit candidate for the Lok Sabha poll. Will you accept the offer, if the party fields you?
The people of Bhalki recently elected me with an impressive margin. Although, I have an image and also the network to face the Lok Sabha  polls, there are many aspirants for the seat in the district. It’s too early to comment on this. The party will select a suitable candidate at an appropriate time.