Karnataka: Rebel Candidate Khadri Meets Congress Leaders

 Shiggaon: Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan’s efforts in persuading Congress leader Syed Azempeer Khadri, who filed nomination as an independent candidate from Shiggaon, have led to a significant outcome, resulting in Khadri meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, DCM and KPCC president DK Shivakumar on Saturday.

The intense round of discussions is expected to quell the rebellion within the party.

Khadri, a former MLA and long-time Congress loyalist, was one of the contenders for the party ticket from Shiggaon. However, the Congress leadership chose Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan to contest from the constituency, which led to Khadri filing his nomination as a rebel independent candidate.

The situation escalated on Friday when miscreants stoned a car in Zameer Ahmed Khan’s convoy while he was visiting Khadri to negotiate his withdrawal.

Khadri’s political history is closely linked to Siddaramaiah and Zameer Ahmed Khan. All three leaders were formerly with the JD(S) before making the switch to Congress, and their long-standing association has remained intact despite political shifts. He also has close links with DK Shivakumar.

Khadri had previously won the Shiggaon seat in 1999 as a JD(S) candidate. (He joined Congress later and lost to Basavaraj Bommai in 2008, 2013, and 2018.)

In a coordinated effort to resolve the conflict, Zameer Ahmed Khan, along with Chief Minister’s political secretary Naseer Ahmed, Legislative Council member Abdul Jabbar, and other senior Congress leaders, escorted Khadri from Shiggavi to Bengaluru late on Friday night. On Saturday they ensured meetings with both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and DCM DK Shivakumar to convince him to withdraw his candidacy.

According to party insiders, Khadri has been assured of a prominent political role in the future. Senior Congress leaders are confident that Khadri will officially withdraw his nomination by the October 30 deadline.

Khadri meanwhile assured to speak to his supporters on this.

"The party is my priority. We want to defeat the BJP in Shiggaon. I have agreed to the words of Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar, Zameer Ahmed Khan, and Naseer Ahmed. However I will discuss this with my supporters," he said.