Former mayor K. Ashraf resigns from the Congress

Former mayor K. Ashraf resigns from the Congress

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Oct 14, 2011 : K. Ashraf, the former mayor of Mangalore and the first president of the brand new Mangalore City Block Congress, has decided to quit the Congress party. He has sent a common text message to all his media friends, making it quite clear that he does not intend to remain in the Congress anymore.

His short text message bore the following words: “I, K. Ashraf, hereby declare my resignation from the basic membership of the Congress party.  The decision will be officially announced on Oct 14 in Mangalore Press Club.”

Mr. Ashraf had previously expressed his unhappiness about the lack of support from Congress leaders and Congress workers during his most difficult days. He has also alleged that certain followers of Poojary had gotten his “innocent son” involved in a drug case. Reportedly, Ashraf’s decision follows an FIR filed against his son and his son’s friends for allegedly threatening a recuperating drug addict in Athena Hospital, Mangalore.

Lamenting that certain Congress people behave just like BJP workers, Ashraf stated that they made life miserable even for Lancelot Pinto, the MCC opposition leader. Alleging that the SI handling his son’s case is acting under the orders of “certain people,” Ashraf complained that this SI had created problem for him even when he was in Bunder Police Station.

Lamenting that even Mangalore Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh has not kept his promise, he said that he will not be able to protect the interests of the Congress if the Congress cannot protect his interest.

K. Ashraf, had joined the Congress over 20 years back and had held several responsible posts within the party. He alleged that Poojary and his associates have always felt threatened with his recent friendship with M. Veerappa Moily, a prominent Congress leader and former chief minister.

Ashraf, who was the member of the MCC thrice and its mayor once, was appointed as the president of the Congress’s newly formed Mangalore city block unit last year, a move that caused him to be alienated within the party since Poojary allegedly resented his appointment.

Owing to the way a certain section of the party was treating him, Ashraf had kept a low profile ever since he was appointed president.

Meanwhile, the BJP members of MCC have confirmed that Ashraf has resigned because his own party people were causing problems for him.