Bengaluru :  Veteran Congress leader and MLC C.M. Ibrahim hinted at quitting the Congress Party.

“My association with the Congress party is now a closed chapter. AICC has given me a Sankranti gift. Smt. Sonia Gandhi has lessened my burden and I am now free to take decisions. I left JDS and followed Siddaramaiah to the Congress and worked to make a Kuruba leader as the chief minister. Siddaramaiah got a new political life because of me. I was instrumental in Siddaramaiah contesting from Badami too. I had told him he would lose in Chamundeshwari. Today, he has rewarded me for it,” said Ibrahim adding that he had quit Congress 20 years back when the party had announced his nomination for Rajya Sabha and later cancelled it.

Ibrahim was one of the top contenders for the post of LOP after S.R. Patil retired from the House in January this year. While Hariprasad, a backward classes (Ediga) leader and former AICC general secretary was chosen over Ibrahim, a prominent Muslim face. Ibrahim, who had identified with the Siddaramaiah camp, is said to have lost out to Hariprasad, who had the backing from KPCC chief D.K. Shivakumar.

Expressing his disappointment Ibrahim remarked that the AICC had perhaps done the right thing by choosing Hariprasad. “KPCC chief D.K. Shivakumar and Hariprasad are on good terms and share the same values. So, it perhaps helps the party coordinate better.,” said Ibrahim, addressing a press meet in the city on Thursday.

“I have been getting calls from the JDS, SP and TMC too as I have the experience of having worked with Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mahendra Singh Tikait, whose son is today a farmers’ leader. I will take a call in 8-10 days. Kumaraswamy too had called me. I had delayed the decision (to quit Congress) as I have a few debts to be paid off. I will also resign from the Upper House soon,” said Ibrahim, whose term ends on June 17, 2024.

Slamming the state Congress, Ibrahim said, “Like me, many seniors in the party are working like tenant farmers, while some others are holding the title deed and reaping the benefits. The party which had won 120 seats was reduced to 80 in the last Assembly elections. After the Muslims distance themselves from the party, you will see the real plight of Congress.”

“Congress has been afflicted by Covid and no vaccine is effective,” mocked Ibrahim.

Hitting back at the former minister, Congress MLA from Chittapur Priyank Kharge said, “Congress is the only vaccine for a virus-like BJP. The Congress party will not collapse if people go to JDS or the BJP. In politics, everyone should work hard to strengthen the party. You cannot expect to be power always. One must learn to work in the sun and in shade too.”

Meanwhile, the AICC, which has been emphasising collective leadership has appointed Prakash Rathod (SC) as the chief whip and K Govindaraju (Vokkaliga) as the deputy leader of the opposition in the Council.