Inside track of JDS-Congress damage-control

Amidst rumours of rebel Congress legislators being holed up in a Mumbai, a sequence of confabulations are being held by former chief minister and he of coordination committee, Siddaramaiah and have resulted in JDS-Cong ro map for handling political crisis plaguing Karnataka government.

Republic learnt inside track of marathon meetings chaired by Siddaramaiah on Thursday and Friday at his residence in Bengaluru to nip revolt in bud. On late Thursday evening, KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao and water resources minister DK Shivakumar visited Siddaramaiah to discuss political scenario, even as regional news channels continued to hyposise over peeved MLAs going to a 5-star hotel in Mumbai to make ir displeasure evident.

In meeting, Republic TV has learnt, mercurial congress strongman DK Shivakumar offered to le a counter-poaching campaign, to be dubbed ‘Operation Hasta’ as a riposte to BJP’s reported attempts to woo close to a dozen congress legislators to abandon party and join Saffron party in Karnataka.

DK Shivakumar h held a fiesty press conference at his home residence on Wednesday where he refuted charges me by BJP of him and his business partners indulging in hoarding and transporting unaccounted for money using hawala route. DKS, as he is popularly kwn, h lashed out at central government, claiming that his family and associates h been tortured by officials of ncies like Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax and forcefully, statements were extracted against him.

DKS is reported to have displayed same streak at Thursday’s meeting. And suggested that Congress should get on offensive and poach over 13 of BJP mlas who are in touch with him. 

To this, Siddaramaiah seemed reluctant, saying this could be an overreaction and could very well boomerang on Congress party during Lok sabha campaign.

On Friday, even as party workers from Siddaramaiah's hometown Mysuru h gared at his Bengaluru residence to greet him, an unscheduled meeting commenced. Deputy chief minister G Parameshwara, Dinesh Gundu Rao, DKS along with chief minister HD Kumaraswamy assembled to deliberate machination in light of increasing activities in Congress camp. 

conversation revolved around tiding over current dissidence. HDK was asked to accommodate requests of congress MLAs more diligently to expel sentiments of m being marginalised in government. decision to impede cabinet expansion to post-vember was taken; lobbying legislators will have hope left and party, some grip over m. 

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n issue of appointments of leers to corporation boards was discussed. Most boards don't have a fixed tenure and appointments are usually me to placate legislators who couldn't be given cabinet berths. Since current government came to power, while CM HDK h issued a circular asking all chairpersons of boards to resigns, new appointments have t been me. A decision to shortlist a few  candidates was taken.

upcoming Lok sabha elections will be a litmus test for JDS-Congress combine and ir government in Karnataka. And holding ship toger till n will be a herculean task for leers of both parties.