Here’s what keeping ‘silenced’ Poojary busy these days
- Janardhan Poojary has never shied away from openly criticising Siddaramaiah government
- But of late, he has not met the mediapersons, even after the government celebrated its four years rule
- 80-year-old Poojary is a former minister from Mangaluru
FollowKnown for making a scathing attack on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his government, senior Congress leader and former minister Janardhan Poojary, however, has remained silent these days. Last week, the government had organised a grand celebration to mark the completion of its four years. Yet, the former minister from Mangaluru has not issued any statement. Besides, he has remained inaccessible to mediapersons who try to get in touch with him to seek his opinion on the government. This has indeed left many surprised.
It is said that he has been issued notice by senior leaders in New Delhi to maintain "silence". Sources said that party national leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ahmed Patel and AK Antony had issued a notice to Janardhan Poojary requesting him not to publicly decry the Congress government and its policies. It is said that the leaders fear that Poojary's comments on the government - especially when the party is set for a new leadership at KPCC and working out strategies for the next year's Assembly polls - may project it in the poor light.
It may recalled here that Poojary never spared a moment to criticise chief minister Siddaramaiah's style of functioning and his government policies. He had even called Siddaramaiah a "bane" to the Congress government and also stated that the party would not survive in the state, if he does not leave the party. Since this was coming from a senior leader of the party, Siddaramaiah government was in deep embarrassment. This is said to have forced the senior leaders from New Delhi to intervene and help save the state government from further humiliation.
However, Poojary has outrightly denied of being warned by the senior leaders. "I am too old now. Also, I'm down with cold and sore throat. Hence I have not met the media. I have neither received any notice nor warnings," he said. Instead, he said that he is busy tending to his arecanut farm at Bantwal near Mangaluru and giving the finishing touches to his much-delayed autobiography.
