BENGALURU: With a clear message to quell all rebellion within the Congress in Karnataka, senior state leaders seem to have decided to approach the crisis differently.
Leaders of the party who were attempting to woo dissenting MLAs have now been asked to not yield to blackmail tactics but ensure that legislators fall in line. AICC General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge K C Venugopal, with his warning to MLAs who were throwing tantrums on Sunday, has set the tone for the state leadership to follow. The party that was being seen as bending over backwards to keep its flock together will now assert its strength.
Congress legislature party leader Siddaramaiah has been tasked with talking to MLAs who are raising concerns over a range of things. Siddaramaiah as well as KPCC chief Dinesh Gundu Rao were in New Delhi on Monday for a meeting called for by AICC to discuss alliances with regional parties.
Siddaramaiah, who was scheduled to meet MLA M T B Nagaraj late on Monday night, has put off the meeting till Tuesday. The relief in Congress camp is also being attributed to BJP withdrawing their candidates from the bypoll to Council.
While the state leadership has managed to quell the dissent brewing from Belagavi in the form of Jarkiholi brothers, half a dozen legislators continue to express disappointment. Impromptu trips, sudden luncheons of dissenting MLAs fuelling speculations and a clear attempt by the legislators to be in the news have been construed by the party as mere posturing. “Venugopal has asked the state leadership not to give in to the whims of legislators,” said a source from the party.