Bengaluru, April 11 -- Minority Congress leaders on Friday alleged that the party's campaign in the Davanagere South by-election was weakened from within.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, MLC Saleem Ahmed and Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad alleged that certain senior leaders were involved in creating a narrative portraying the party as having "betrayed" minorities.

"We are saddened by the involvement of senior Congress leaders in damaging the party. But the result will prove that all communities including the minorities have supported the Congress candidate," Ahmed said, adding that internal assessments indicated a favourable outcome for the party.

The Congress had fielded Samarth Mallikarjun, grandson of sitting MLA Shamanu...