The State Congress on Tuesday came down heavily on political leaders and ministers for speaking in public against the party’s high command, their policies or decisions.
The warning came two days after Minister of State Food and Civil Supplies Dinesh Gundu Rao and former MP A. H. Vishwanath criticised the party’s central leaders for the rout in the Assembly elections of Maharashtra and Haryana.
“You are free to raise your voice within the four walls of the party. If you have complaints against the party high command or state leadership, you are free to speak at the party’s forums or executive committee. But, such things (speaking publicly) will not be tolerated,” Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President G. Parameshwara said.
A few days ago, AICC sacked former minister and MP Shashi Tharoor from the post of spokesperson for praising the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The KPCC chief told presspersons here that state-level leaders, including the Chief Minister, should refrain from issuing statements against the party’s central leadership or policies and decisions. “We are responsible leaders. We are in the party for the past several years. If you (leaders/ministers) have any grievances, discuss them in party forums,” he warned.
Replying to a question, Mr. Parameshwara said heads and members of various boards and corporations would appointed after the Diwali festival. He and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would go to Delhi and finalise names for boards and corporations after consultations with Digvijaya Singh, AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka.
“All party workers, ex-MLAs and MLAs are eligible for the posts of chairpersons of boards/corporations,” he said. On BJP President Amit Shah’s statement on “Congress free India”, the KPCC chief said “we are ready to accept the challenge. We are preparing our own strategy on how to face elections. We are preparing a plan for winning seats in the coming gram panchayat elections.”
