Mysore/Mysuru: In an attempt to polarise voters again in the name of caste in the next election, a new political movement ‘ALINGOW’ will take shape under the leadership of former Union Minister C.M. Ibrahim, who dissociated himself from the Congress after he was denied the post of leader of Congress in the Legislative Council.

‘ALINGOW’ stands for Alpasankyataru (Minorities), Lingayats and Gowdas and it will be pitted against AHINDA (Alpasankhyataru, Hindulidavaru and Dalitaru) — a social movement forged by Minorities, Backwards and Dalits — and former CM Siddharamaiah is one of the AHINDA leaders. In fact, Ibrahim was associated with AHINDA and now he has fallen out with Siddharamaiah. Both the leaders were associated with AHINDA before they joined Congress. Ibrahim has already decided to quit Congress and is looking at various political options and one of them is floating ‘ALINGOW’.

Addressing reporters in Mysuru yesterday, Ibrahim said that he will resign as a member of the Legislative Council on Feb. 14 and would tour the State to gauge public opinion. Yesterday he met Suttur Mutt Seer Sri ShivarathriDeshikendraSwamiji and sought his blessings.

“I am in contact with political party leaders, including from the BJP and JD(S). I will continue in politics by joining a political party. I will not float a new party. I am also in touch with Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee as my choices have narrowed down to JD(S), Samajwadi Party and Trinamool Congress,” he said.

“I am in touch with former Minister and BJP MLC A.H. Vishwanath and I will meet veteran Dalit leader and BJP MP V. Sreenivasa Prasad. I have the backing of leaders from Congress, JD(S), BJP and SDPI,” he said. Training his guns on the Congress, especially Siddharamaiah, Ibrahim said that Congress took Muslims for granted. “Congress is under impression that Muslims would vote for the party come what may. Muslims are treated only as machines to cast vote for Congress. Muslims are not given positions and budgetary allocation,” he said.

‘Anna Bhagya my idea’

“In fact, the popular Anna Bhagya and KsheeraBhagya programmes which were implemented during the Siddharamaiah government were my ideas. I had warned Siddharamaiah not to contest from Chamundeshwari segment, but he did not listen. We made him contest from Badami and worked for his victory. He has forgotten it,” he said.

“Siddharamaiah should remember that I came with him after leaving former PM H.D. Deve Gowda and he should have stood by me when injustice was done to me,” he said.

Stating that his name which was recommended for the post of Opposition Leader in Legislative Council from the State Congress was changed overnight, Ibrahim said that he had the support of 19 members out of 22 members in the Council.

“I have no idea who is behind this. I have been denied the post as I belong to a minority community. Former Minister U.T. Khader has been appointed as the Deputy leader in the Assembly, to prevent minority voters from going to other parties,” he said.

Tanveer Sait supporters welcome Ibrahim in Mysuru

In a surprising development, supporters of NR MLA TanveerSait accorded a rousing welcome to former Union Minister C.M. Ibrahim, who dissociated himself from the Congress after he was denied the post of Leader of Congress in the Legislative Council. Ibrahim, who arrived in Mysuru yesterday, was welcomed by hundreds of supporters at DandinaMaramma Temple on the Bengaluru Road. Ibrahim was taken in an open jeep procession and flower petals were showered on him.