BENGALURU: Amid the crisis in the Karnataka unit of the Congress over several senior legislators writing a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over insufficient funds for their constituencies and a remark by senior leader BK Hariprasad regarding the CM’s post, the party top brass has convened two meetings with state party leaders in New Delhi on August 2.
According to party insiders, the meetings will discuss various issues, including the party strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The meeting was earlier planned to be held in Bengaluru last week, but was deferred following the demise of former Kerala CM Oommen Chandy. Both the meetings will be presided by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, former MP Rahul Gandhi, party General Secretaries Randeep Singh Surjewala and KC Venugopal, CM Siddaramaiah and DyCM DK Shivakumar.
The high command is also expected to take stock of the letter row and the statement made by Hariprasad during the meetings.
The meeting is also likely to discuss the government schemes and publicising the five guarantees.
A senior Congress leader told TNIE that while the first meeting is for senior Congress leaders where more than 30 leaders, including KPCC office-bearers, will be present. The second meeting is for the ministers of the Siddaramaiah cabinet.
“The recent developments have been causing severe embarrassment to the party. Our leaders and the party high command will warn them and bring discipline in the party,” the Congress leader said.
Meanwhile, KPCC working president Saleem Ahmed said that the meetings will discuss the party’s strategy to win the Lok Sabha polls. When asked about ministers visiting KPCC Office in Bengaluru, Saleem said they will be told to visit the office often to strengthen the party.
PM MODI TO MEET BJP MPS ON AUGUST 2
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with Members of Parliament from Karnataka on August 2. Modi will be interacting with more than 400 MPs of the NDA from July 31 to August 10 in Delhi. The meeting will be coordinated by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi. According to informed sources, Modi is expected to interact with the MPs on the party’s strategy to win the LS polls.