Worried about the stability of the coalition government following the perceived threat posed by Congress “rebel” Ramesh Jarkiholi, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has convened a Legislative Party meeting of the Janata Dal (Secular) on Sunday.
According to party sources, Mr. Kumaraswamy is constantly in touch with the disgruntled legislators. He met Mr. Jarkiholi and B. Nagendra, Ballari Assembly legislator, who is also among the disgruntled leaders.
Mr. Kumaraswamy, who was undergoing naturopathy treatment in Udupi, cut short his stay and returned to the city to hold talks with Deputy Chief Minster G. Parameshwara and Minister for Water Resource D.K. Shivakumar over the issue.
Sources close to the Chief Minister said that he has met Mr. Jarkiholi and Mr. Nagendra twice and “succeeded in dousing the disgruntlement at least for the time being.”
A.H. Vishwanath, president of the State unit of JD(S), said there was no need to accord special significance to the Chief Minister meeting them. “It is his responsibility to lend an ear to their grievances,” he said.
He said this was not the first time Mr. Kumaraswamy was meeting Mr. Jarkiholi and Mr. Nagendra.
Meeting
Meanwhile, Sunday’s JD(S)LP meeting would discuss the political situation following the brewing discontentment among some of the Congress legislators, besides keeping the flock together even after the announcement of the polls results on May 23.
Incidentally, the coalition government will complete its first year in office on May 24.
Besides legislators, Lok Sabha members, members of the Legislative Council, and other senior leaders will participate in the meeting.
Meanwhile, according to sources, party supremo H.D. Deve Gowda is camping in the national capital and is expected to hold talks with Congress leaders on ways to assuage the feelings of disgruntled legislators.
At the same time, AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka K.C. Venugopal is said to have directed the State leaders to keep a watch on the move of Mr. Jarkiholi.