BENGALURU: Even as the Congress top leadership is treading cautiously in dealing with the dissidents, a group of party MLAs led by B A Basavaraja has come together with a strong demand for tough action against the dissidents.
Basavaraja, a staunch loyalist of former chief minister Siddaramaiah, who has taken the lead for a counter offensive against the dissidents, has convened a meeting of young, loyalist Congress MLAs on Monday. They will discuss the developments unfolding in the state following the formation of the JD(S)-Congress coalition government.
Meanwhile, M B Patil is set to hold a meeting of dissidents in a day or two to discuss their future course of action. AICC President Rahul Gandhi has already shot down the possibility of creating one more deputy chief minister post to induct Patil.
Basavaraja told The New Indian Express, “About 40 to 42 Congress MLAs, most of whom have been elected two to three times, will attend the meeting on Monday as a show of unity in the party. We want to send a strong message against those who are damaging the image of the party and posing a threat to the coalition government’s stability. We cannot allow a few power hungry people to harm the interest of the party.”
Apart from KR Puram’s Basavaraja, Rajarajeshwari Nagar MLA Munirathna, Yeshwanthpur MLA S T Somashekar and Anekal MLA B Shivanna are said to be associated in this counter attack against the dissidents.
The meeting to be held on Monday is set to advocate strong action from the party top brass against those who have raised a banner of revolt.
“We will discuss the developments and urge our leaders to crack the whip against the dissidents. There are too many aspirants for the ministry in the party. Even I am an aspirant for a ministerial berth. But we have to wait for our time to fulfil our aspirations. The conduct of a few power hungry, selfish leaders is embarrassing the party and threatening to destabilise the coalition government. We want to send a message of unity and deal sternly against those who refuse to fall in line,” Basavaraja added.
