Senior Congress leaders try to persuade Pramod Madhwaraj

Udupi: Rumours of Udupi Congress leader and former state minister Pramod Madhwaraj leaving the party have flared again. Congress party high command at the state and national level are trying their best to retain him in the party, highly placed sources said.

For the past few years, Pramod has not attended major programs of the party. This had led to rumors about his plans for exiting the grand-old party and joining the BJP, which the leader had denied on several occasions. Local Congress leaders had also submitted a report to the KPCC leaders asking them to give Pramod a better position in the party.

Sources claimed that KPCC President D.K. Shivakumar, the party’s state in-charge Randeep Surjewala, AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal have recently called Madhwaraj and have promised to give a higher position in the party.

Pramod Mdhvaraj confirmed the news as true. He told Udayavani, that he has recently held talks with D.K. Shivakumar and K.C Venugopal, but did not elaborate further.