Congress issues second notice to errant MLAs in just a month

BENGALURU: Congress legislators violating the whip has been the single biggest worry for its leadership. The party has issued a notice for a second time in less than a month directing the errant legislators to fall in line.

Congress leaders were left red-faced as MLAs Ramesh Jarkiholi, Mahesh Kumtalli, Umesh Jadhav, B Nagendra and cop-turned-actor-turned-politician B C Patil did not turn up for the first day of the legislative session, despite a notice being issued.

Not surprisingly, the attempt to murder accused J N Ganesh (MLA Kampli), who is on the run, was absent. However, his absence did not ruffle any feathers. Asked about the legislators not heeding the party whip, party president Dinesh Gundu Rao said, “We have served them a second notice.”

Asked about their strategy to deal with the issue, AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal said, “We have a strategy but we are not going to share it with the media.”But Congress sources in the AICC said that the party was sure of getting B Nagendra and Umesh Jadhav back but they are still working on the other two. They said Jadhav being related to their senior party MLC Prakash Rathod will fall in line, so will Nagendra who has spoken to Congress leaders.”

When asked if they will fall short of numbers to pass the finance bill, Congress working president Eshwar Khandre said, “We are confident that we have the numbers.”

Many want Siddu to contest LS polls

With Lok Sabha polls around the corner, pressure is mounting on former chief minister Siddaramaiah to enter the national electoral arena. Local Congress leaders are in favour of the Kuruba strongman contesting the parliamentary elections from Koppal constituency where he had lost by narrow margin in 1991. Though he had ruled out contesting polls, buzz is that the high command is likely to prevail upon him to take the plunge from Koppal.