BENGALURU: In an emergency measure of sorts, KPCC chief Dinesh Gundu Rao on Wednesday paraded MLAs from Ballari and Raichur to put to rest speculations of legislators quitting the party. The attempt at a show of unity comes at a time when speculations are rife that BJP intends to milk the Belagavi crisis threatening the government.
As much as the Congress would like to establish otherwise, the crisis pitting party leaders against each other is refusing to die down. The party is going all out to put up a show of unity to counter speculations of legislators, backed by Ramesh Jarkiholi and Satish Jarkiholi, willing to jump ships. While solving the crisis and at the same time to keep its flock together is the party’s primary challenge, doing all of it before Siddaramaiah’s return from Europe has become crucial for state leaders.
Meanwhile, Ramesh met senior party leader Mallikarjun Kharge. “The issue has been sorted. I am going to meet Kharge who is like a father- figure to me,” Ramesh said.
Though Jarkiholi brothers claim that the issues have been resolved, they continue to acknowledge that the crisis is far from over. Their contradicting statements have put the Congress on the edge. Known to be aides of Siddaramaiah, the Jarkiholis want him to take up their cause.
“No legislator will quit the party. Two BJP MLAs are willing to join us and five more are waiting to join JD(S),” said Dinesh. He said Anand Singh, Nagendra, Tukaram of Ballari, Pratapgouda Patil, Basanagouda Daddal of Raichur, Amaregouda Bayyapur of Koppal, Rahim Khan and Narayana Rao of Bidar, Mahesh Kumathalli and Srimanth Patil from Belagavi and Anil Chikkamadu individually asserted that they were with the Congress.
Political buzz
Ramesh Jarkiholi meets Mallikarjun Kharge, a ‘father-figure’, for guidance on issues pertaining to Belagavi
Hectic political activity at
B S Yeddyurappa’s residence for the second consecutive day
KPCC chief holds press meet, parades MLAs speculated to be approached by BJP
Congress wants to resolve crisis before Siddaramaiah returns from Europe tour
Ballari,Raichur MLAs say they will not quit Congress
Congress leader M B Patil claims five BJP legilsators are in touch with them
Though Ramesh said the issue has been resolved after meeting Kharge, earlier in the week he had said “Siddaramaiah is our leader and we will sort out all issues once he returns”.
Clearly pointing out that he and his brother are willing to only sit with Siddaramaiah to solve the infighting threatening the coalition government in the state.
Ramesh’s statements came after he met Deputy Chief Minister Parameshwara and Dinesh Gundu Rao on different days.
Assurances given by these leaders were clearly not enough for the brothers to end the Belagavi fight. Now, party leaders seem to be battling against time to find amicable solutions before Siddaramaiah returns and is compelled to sort the differences out.
“Of course the Congress is trying to sort the issue before Siddaramaiah returns. There is a clear faction in the party and it is natural for Parameshwara’s faction to feel threatened if they aren’t able to solve the crisis and Siddaramaiah does,” said Dr Harish Ramaswamy, political analyst and Professor at Karnatak University. He, however, added that it may not be possible for leaders of the Congress to solve the crisis before Siddaramaiah intervened.