For ensuring stability of the coalition government and dousing dissidence in the Congress, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy took the initiative on Wednesday to call on Congress leader and former Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi at the latter’s residence in Bengaluru.

Mr. Kumaraswamy held discussions with Mr. Jarkiholi, B. Nagendra, and Mahesh Kumatahalli, who had skipped the Congress Legislature Party meeting and allegedly attempted to topple the coalition government. It is believed that the Congress MLAs told the Chief Minister to direct Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar to stay away from the politics of Ballari and Belagavi during the Lok Sabha elections.

The meeting between Mr. Kumaraswamy and the MLAs assumes significance two days after Congress leader Umesh Jadhav tendered his resignation to the membership of the Legislative Assembly and joined the BJP on Wednesday.