BENGALURU: In all, 31 meetings covering all districts, attended by 136 MLAs and spread over 50 hours is all it took to iron out issues with Congress MLAs by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The chief minister spoke personally to the legislators and listened to their concerns. Many party MLCs and MPs too took part in the meetings that were spread over five days.
The idea of interaction with the MLAs was mooted at the Congress Legislature Party meeting to ensure a greater role for legislators in the administration. Siddaramaiah, whose resources are stretched as funds because of the implementation of guarantee schemes, instructed officials to take up development works and address grievances based on priority and availability funds, keeping in mind the Lok Sabha polls.
The chief minister instructed his team to take up works following scheduled timelines. Many legislators openly expressed their demand for essential works to be taken up in their respective constituencies. Views of district in-charge ministers were taken on the issues raised. Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar kept giving their suggestions during these meetings.
Siddaramaiah told the MLAs that the priority is effective implementation of five guarantees, which have to be taken to the doorsteps of the middle-class and poorer sections. He also told them that the polls were a priority and the MLAs should ensure a good victory for Congress in the upcoming BBMP and LS polls. It is said that a team has prepared a list of scams that took place during the previous BJP government.
Siddaramaiah instructed each minister to compulsorily visit party offices in their respective districts and listen to the grievances of workers. A team of officials and staff from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat will prepare district-wise separate demands and progress lists and submit them to the concerned ministers and district in-charge secretaries.