Worried Siddaramaiah begins firefighting
CM invites party MLAs to his residence and tries to assuage their feelings by promising them posts in boards.
BENGALURU: Acknowledging that dissidents could team up to dent his image as an undisputed AHINDA leader, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday commenced confabulations with his trusted lieutenants on how to defuse the crisis triggered by Sunday’s reshuffle of his ministry.
He invited many MLAs to his residence and spoke to them. As expected, he tried to assuage the feelings of MLAs by assuring them of appointment as chairmen of state-owned boards and corporations.
These posts would fall vacant once the incumbents’ term expires in August. Besides, all ministers loyal to him have been pressed into action to get as many legislators on their side in an effort to isolate the dissidents.
The Chief Minister’s camp adopted a clever strategy by ‘planting’ two of their loyal MLAs to go and work with dissidents.
"Yeshwanthpur MLA, S.T. Somashekhar, is one of those playing on both sides. This strategy of keeping Chief Minister’s men in the dissidents’ camp will help us to understand their move so that we can devise a counter strategy," a leader in the CM camp said.
Meanwhile, dissidents who got blessings of veterans like C.K. Jaffer Sharief, decided to meet on Sunday to devise the future course of action. After a meeting of dissidents, party MLA from Afzalpur, Malikayya Guttedar told reporters that at least 40 MLAs would meet on Sunday.
"Now we have gone one step ahead. To save the party, if leadership change is needed, we are ready for it," Dr A.B. Maalak Reddy said. On Thursday he met party veteran, S.M. Krishna. Dr Maalak Reddy said Mr Krishna reportedly agreed to support their cause.
In an effort to iron out differences, state Congress leadership continued its efforts with newly- appointed working president Dinesh Gundu Rao attempting to placate sacked ministers including M H Ambareesh and Mr Srinivas Prasad. Soon after meeting Mr Ambareesh and Mr Prasad, Mr Rao said, "He (Ambareesh) has no resentment against the party. I feel he will come out of these things soon, his support is needed for the party."