K'taka Cong to hold legislature party meet amid voices of dissent

Bengaluru, July 25 (IANS) Amid the voices of dissent and speculation about the leadership of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Congress has called legislature party meeting on July 27 at a private hotel on the Bengaluru Palace Road here.

The meeting has assumed importance in the backdrop of recent development of voices of dissent within the party.

Leader of the Congress in the Legislative Council, B.K. Hariprasad has challenged the leadership of Siddaramaiah and made his displeasure clear by raising the banner of revolt against him.

BJP state unit has dubbed the development as the initial stage of the downfall of the ruling Congress government. Former Deputy CM Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan had stated that DyCM D.K. Shivakumar is shooting from the shoulders of Hariprasad. Hariprasad had stated that he had made five Chief Ministers in the country and he can very well get them to step down as well.         

After the controversy, Hariprasad went on to defend his statements. "No one can silence his voice raised for social justice," he said.

The development has put the Congress party in a fix. CM Siddaramaiah camp MLAs and ministers are pressuring to initiate action against Hariprasad and they are also planning to take the complaint to the high command, sources said.

Sources explained that Hariprasad does not have influence now in the high command after the demise of senior Congress leader Ahmad Patel.

Hariprasad had not won elections and is not a mass leader like CM Siddaramaiah and can't challenge him. Hariprasad had lost the parliamentary election from Bengaluru South seat in 2019 to BJP National Yuva Morcha President Tejasvi Surya by a whopping margin of 3.31 lakh votes.

Sources also stated that MLAs are complaining of indifferent attitudes and unresponsiveness of cabinet ministers of the Congress government.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah talking to reporters in Hubballi stated, the legislature party meeting was called earlier but as Rahul Gandhi meeting was scheduled it could not be held. "I have called for MLAs meeting on Thursday (July 27). In the legislature party meeting we will hold discussion and it is just two months that the Congress party has taken over the ruling in the state," he stated.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Shivakumar in Bengaluru maintained that there is no disgruntlement within the party. “The programmes need to be implemented. Due to the Assembly session, there was not a chance to discuss issues with MLAs. We have to get feedback on whether the implemented free schemes have reached the people, if there is corruption.

"There is financial constraint for implementing free schemes and MLAs are told not to come up with proposals of works. We have told them to hold it and reach out to the people. The media is creating dissent in the party," he stated.