Rival Congress groups keep Karnataka Chief Minister smiling

Bengaluru: Several senior ruling party legislators were livid with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah because he left them in the lurch after inviting them for a breakfast meeting on Wednesday, but the leader was backed by another group of legislators in drawing up a strategy to win next month’s bypolls to three Assembly constituencies.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior legislator said: “We are deeply upset with Mr. Siddaramaiah’s conduct as he asked us to arrive at 8:30 am for a breakfast meeting but when we reached his official residence “Cauvery” he had already left for the cabinet meeting. We are not upset about him attending the cabinet meeting, but his decision not to inform us has hurt us. Moreover, he reserved only 15 minutes for us.”

The legislator said Mr. Siddaramaiah knew about the meeting with them and the cabinet meeting, and therefore ought to have postponed the breakfast meeting. “This is not acceptable. This is not how a Chief Minister treats MLAs,” rued the legislator.

Later, another group of Congress legislators claimed that the meeting with Mr. Siddaramaiah went off “exceptionally well.” “We came here to strengthen the hands of Mr Siddaramaiah during the byelections. The main agenda was not to seek any favours from him but to assure him of our support and help win all the seats,” K. N. Rajanna, who represents Madhugiri, told media persons on Wednesday.

Sources in Congress said though about 40 senior legislators met Mr. Siddaramaiah and told him to drop non-performing ministers and replace them with senior MLAs, the Chief Minister merely told them to work for the victory of party candidates in the by-polls. “This is not the time to make demands. This is the time to work hard and ensure the party’s victory,” sources quoted Mr. Siddaramaiah as telling the legislators.

Sources said Mr. Siddaramaiah wants to emulate former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa by deploying 20- 25 MLAs, MLCs and senior leaders who belong to different castes and communities in each Hobli in the run up to bypolls scheduled for August 21.