Karnataka: Muslim MLA's challenge to Deve Gowda

Former minister and MLA B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan today questioned former prime minister H D Deve Gowda's concern for Muslims by terming it 'fake two days' after the Janata Dal (Secular) decided to field a Congress minister's brother for elections to the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka. GOWDA'S CONCERN FOR MUSLIMS NOT REAL A staunch supporter of Gowda, Khan is not on talking terms with the JD(S) supreme leader after he was sidelined by the party. Khan, along with two other ministers, has declared support for the Congress candidate in the elections to the Rajya Sabha. "Gowda's concern for Muslims is not real. He is undermining my role in the party by fielding another Muslim (B M Farooq). If Gowda is really concerned about Muslims, will he field a Muslim candidate from Hassan (Gowda's constituency) in the next election? I know his tricks," Khan told the media in Bengaluru. WORTHY CANDIDATES WITHIN JD(S) He contended that there were several worthy candidates within the JD(S) for the polls. "The party could have fielded our leader Danish Ali, who has worked for Gowda for the last 25 years. Instead, they are fielding a businessman… This is not what we expected from him," said Khan, who also challenged Gowda to initiate disciplinary action against him.