Karnataka - Gulbarga   

Vittal Herur joins Congress

New entry: KPCC president M. Mallikarjun Kharge and former Chief Whip in the Legislative Council Vittal Herur at the latter’s induction into the party in Gulbarga on Saturday.

GULBARGA: Kabbaliga community leader and former Chief Whip in the Legislative Council Vittal Herur joined the Congress on Saturday in the presence of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president M. Mallikarjun Kharge and other senior leaders.

Speaking after admitting Mr. Herur into the party at a function to mark the Jayantotsava of 12th century social reformer Nijasharana Ambigara Chowdaiah, Mr. Kharge said leaders of other parties were flocking to the Congress because of its “pro-poor and secular policies”. He said the former Deputy Chief Minister M.P. Prakash and his followers had already decided to join the Congress. There was delay in their formal admission into the party owing to the prior appointments of All-India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi Mr. Kharge said the time was ripe for all Dalit and backward class leaders to unite to get the benefits they were entitled to. Mr. Herur, who has a large following among the Kabbaliga community, played a crucial role which resulted in the good show by the Janata Dal (Secular) in the last Assembly elections in Gulbarga district. He joined the Janata Dal (S) on the eve of the 2004 general elections and helped in shifting the Kabbaliga vote base to the Janata Dal (S).

As a reward for the good work by Mr. Herur in the 2004 elections, the Janata Dal (S) leadership nominated him to the Legislative Council to fill a vacancy.

However, the term of the vacancy was only for two years, and despite the hope that Mr. Herur would be re-nominated it didn’t happen. Mr. Herur was then relegated to the background.

According to Congress sources, Mr. Herur is likely to be fielded as the party candidate from the Afzalpur Assembly constituency. If that does not materialise, he will be nominated to the Legislative Council.

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