As loyalists rally behind Siddaramaiah, Venugopal to put house in order

The AICC general secretary will arrive in Bengaluru today to settle differences

Congress leaders meeting former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Yoga and Nature Care Hospital in Dharmasthala.

As loyalists of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah continued to demonstrate their strength ahead of the first legislature session of the coalition government next week, AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal will arrive in Bengaluru on Thursday to settle differences between Congress leaders and ensure that they stop rocking the boat.

On Wednesday, in the latest turn of events, a team of Congress MLAs led by Municipality and Local Bodies Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi called on Mr. Siddaramaiah at Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Yoga and Nature Care Hospital in Dharmasthala where he is undergoing treatment. Though it was described as a “cordial” meeting, according to sources, Mr. Jarkiholi and eight MLAs came in a special aircraft to Mangaluru to meet their leader and held discussions on the functioning of the H.D. Kumaraswamy-led coalition government.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Shivananda Patil, Basavakalyan MLA B. Narayan Rao, and former Ministers T.B. Jayachandra and H. Anjaneya also called on the former Chief Minister. Mr. Shivananda Patil said: “We have come here to check on him. There is no politics in this visit.”

Asked whether there was any dissatisfaction on the part of Mr. Siddaramaiah over the coalition government ignoring him, Mr. Rao said: “There is no question of dissatisfaction. He is our leader and we got elected under his leadership. Can this government survive if he is ignored?”

Mr. Siddaramaiah is expected to get discharged from the naturopathy hospital on Thursday. Both Mr. Venugopal and Mr. Siddaramaiah are likely to hold talks in Bengaluru on Friday. The AICC general secretary is expected to hear Mr. Siddaramaiah’s grievances against the government.

CMP approval

Mr. Venugopal’s visit has also assumes significance since the coordination panel headed by Mr. Siddaramaiah is expected to meet on Saturday or Sunday to approve the common minimum programme (CMP). Mr. Venugopal is member of the coordination panel.

On Friday, a five-member committee on drafting the CMP is expected to finalise the draft. The CMP will broadly outline the programmes of the Kumaraswamy government, which would be included in the first budget tabled on July 5.

Meeting between top brass of the party is also crucial since the former Chief Minister, who is also leader of the Congress Legislature Party, is expected to hold a meeting of legislators ahead of the legislature session.

Since the last few days, Mr. Siddaramaiah’s views against Mr. Kumaraswamy’s decision to present a full budget have gained circulation. His expression of doubts over the longevity of the new government beyond the Lok Sabha polls has also fuelled the perception that the former and the incumbent Chief Minister do not see eye to eye.