Davanagere fallout: Shivakumar suspends MLC Jabbar from Congress membership

Bengaluru: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar on Wednesday suspended MLC Abdul Jabbar from the primary membership on charges of anti-party activities a day after chief minister Siddaramaiah fired his political secretary Naseer Ahmed.

The action followed the suspected role in fomenting Muslim rebellion during the April 9 bypoll to Davanagere South assembly seat. Jabbar himself was an aspirant to the seat.

Jabbar’s suspension comes after the party first sacked him as chief of the state Congress minority cell and the subsequent dissolution of the cell itself. Shivakumar cited Jabbar’s conduct during the bypoll as reason for the disciplinary action.


The role of three Muslim Congress leaders, including Jabbar and Ahmed, had come under the leadership’s scanner. AICC general secretary Abhishek Datta has submitted a detailed report to the leadership, naming leaders who allegedly worked against the party’s interests.

Muslims, who form a dominant section of the constituency, have been upset over the party fielding a member of the Shamanur family for the seat, which fell vacant following the death of MLA Shamnur Shivashankarappa. Some of the Muslims leaders in the Congress are suspected to have fielded other Muslim candidates to sabotage official candidate Samarth Shamanur.