The Hindu : Moily objects to Poojary's statement

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 12, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Moily objects to Poojary's statement

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore Feb. 11. Even before B.Janardhana Poojary takes over as President of the KPCC, his differences with the Chairman of the Tax Reforms Commission and former Chief Minister, M.Veerappa Moily, have come into broad relief.

Mr. Moily has taken exception to being called a "staunch enemy" by Mr. Poojary in an interview to the correspondent of a Kannada newspaper in New Delhi.

In a letter to the president-designate, Mr. Moily has quoted him as having said that he was not taking over as president to demolish the party but to rescue it. He might have to take his staunch political enemy, M.Veerappa Moily, with him. He had to assume the responsibility of getting him the party ticket for Mangalore and getting him elected.

Mr. Moily has told Mr. Poojary that as he was taking over as President of the KPCC, he should not consider any party leader or worker as his staunch enemy. Such a statement might send the wrong message to the rank and file of the party. It was not conducive for building the party. The former Chief Minister has said that he was a loyal Congressman and it was his duty to serve the organisation with loyalty and integrity whoever might be the president.

He has also reminded Mr. Poojary that he (Mr. Moily) was responsible for bringing him into the Congress and persuading Indira Gandhi to field him as the party candidate in the 1977 Lok Sabha elections from Mangalore. "Apart from this, it was under my leadership that your elections were fought from Mangalore in 1977 and 1980." The rank and file of the Congress was aware of it and Mr. Poojary himself had admitted it at a number of public meetings. "I had done it out of affection and not hatred." Mr. Poojary's statement had wounded the feelings of many party workers.

Besides releasing the letter to the Press, Mr. Moily has sent a copy to the AICC President, Sonia Gandhi. He has done so as Mr. Poojary's statement had been published and he had to clear the misgivings.

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