BENGALURU: As anticipated, disgruntled legislators Ramesh Jarkiholi and Roshan Baig gave the Congress Legislature Party meeting on Wednesday a miss. Despite the Congress leadership claiming that all is well within the party, their conspicuous absence narrated a different tale. Some solace for the party is that 72 out of 79 MLAs were present.
Congress State chief Dinesh Gundu Rao dismissed off some legislators’ absence saying CLP meetings never have full attendance. Of the seven missing MLAs, five had given letters explaining their reasons for not attending the meeting. Baig and Jarkiholi, however, did not provide valid reasons and remained unreachable to party leaders.
Despite attempts directly by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to reach out to him, Ramesh Jarkiholi has remained aloof. In his attempt to keep the coalition boat smooth, Kumaraswamy is said to have taken up the responsibility of pacifying Jarkiholi with a cabinet berth under the JDS quota.
The Congress leadership is yet to reach out to Roshan Baig who went on a rant attacking party leaders Siddaramaiah, K C Venugopal and Dinesh before the results of the Lok Sabha polls were announced.
Some disgruntled MLAs, including Dr Sudhakar, B Nagendra and BC Patil, however, attended the meeting where AICC General Secretary Venugopal was also present. “Some members are bound to miss it due to various reasons but their absence doesn’t mean that we are not united,” Dinesh added.
CLP urges Rahul to continue as Cong chief
Among those who did not attend the meeting, Byrathi Basavaraj cited ill-health while Ramalinga Reddy is currently abroad. Three more leaders including Rahim Khan and Rajashekhar Patil cited ULB polls to excuse themselves from the meeting.
“Totally, 72 MLAs were present at today’s meeting. People who missed it have written letters and have sought prior permission. Yes, Baig and Jarkiholi haven’t cited reasons but nobody is leaving the Congress,” Siddaramaiah told reporters on Wednesday.
Pressed to keep its numbers intact, the Congress revoked Kampli MLA J N Ganesh’s suspension. Ganesh was accused of assaulting Anand Singh, MLA. Ganesh attended the CLP meeting where Singh was also present. The meeting unanimously passed a resolution urging Rahul Gandhi not to resign as the president of AICC. “We all take moral responsibility for the loss in Lok Sabha polls.
Congress and this country need Rahul Gandhi’s leadership. More than 20% of the country’s electorate has voted for Congress. There is no need for Rahul alone to take responsibility. Karnataka Congress urges him to continue,” said Siddaramaiah.
Kumaraswamy who will be in New Delhi to take part in Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony is also likely to meet Rahul Gandhi and urge him to continue as the Congress president.
“Will I sit before them now?”
When contacted, Roshan Baig said, “I have been critical of them, shall I now sit before them?” About his meeting BJP’s M J Akbar and Mohan Das Pai, he told TNIE, ‘’If it was a hush-hush meeting, would I meet them in an open coffee shop? I am a disciplined soldier of the INC.’’