K C Venugopal coming to calm troubled waters

Bengaluru: All India Congress Committee General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka K.C. Venugopal is expected to arrive in Bengaluru on June 30 to do some tightrope walking and calm troubled waters with  former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah airing his scepticism on the survival of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in the state in recent videos shown on television channels.

The party appears concerned by  a section of Congress leaders meeting Mr Siddaramaiah at the  Dharmasthala naturopathy clinic, where he was undergoing a detox, to vent their frustration at being neglected by  the coalition government.
Although Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC president, Dr G Parameshwar did try to douse the growing dissatisfaction in a section of the party and later claimed all was well in the Congress, it appears it may not be, and hence Mr Venugopal’s arrival, say sources.

“His role will be that of a trouble shooter,  to strike a balance between the coalition partners and ensure the government’s survival,” say party sources. Mr Venugopal is likely to convene a meeting of all senior leaders to thrash out all differences and make sure they are not raised during  the budget session of the state legislature between July 2 and 12, they reveal.

 Also, a meeting of the coordination committee is likely to be held to look into the draft of  the Common Minimum Programme to be incorporated in the coming budget and to finalise names of disgruntled legislators to be accommodated as chairmen of various boards and corporations as promised during the first Cabinet expansion earlier this month, sources add. But with a number of senior legislators eyeing the six vacancies in the Council of Ministers instead of positions on boards and corporations ,  Mr Venugopal has his task cut out ensure that the coalition government completes its term without hassle.