Bengaluru, Oct 14: The ties between AICC president Rahul Gandhiand chief minister HD Kumaraswamy seem to be getting strong by the day. The CM, who was invited by Rahul, was the surprise guest at the lunch attended by Congress leaders here on Saturday.
Ministers and party legislators representing Bengaluru attended the lunch organised at Kumara Krupa Guest House before Rahul interacted with the HAL employees. They were surprised to see Kumaraswamy joining them. The menu contained typical Mangalorean dishes—neer dosas and kori rotis from a restaurant Rahul visits when in Bengaluru. Later, Kumaraswamy had a meeting with Rahul, where he urged the latter to ensure perfect coordination between the two parties at the ground level in the two assembly and three Lok Sabha constituencies to win all the seats in the November 3 bypolls.
“It was a courtesy extended by Rahul to invite Kumaraswamy for lunch. In his presence, no issues related to the Congress were discussed. We all had a quick and quiet lunch,’’ said a Congress leader.
Earlier in the day, CLP leader Siddaramaiah, Dy CM G Parameshwara, KPCC president Dinesh Gundurao, working president Eshwar Khandre, minister DK Shivakumar besides other Congress ministers met to discuss the election strategy. Sources said the ministers were given the responsibility of assembly segments. Siddaramaiah will be incharge of Mandya and Jamakhandi and Shivakumar of Ballari, while the overall responsibility of garnering the minority votes in all the five constituencies has been given to minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan.
Sources said Shivamogga Lok Sabha seat might be given to the JD(S) and the Congress has reportedly conveyed to Kumaraswamy that it has no reservations as long as the ticket is given to former MLA Madhu Bangarappa. Madhu is in Paris and will return on October 14.
In Ballari, among the front-runners, including MLA B Nagendra’s brother Venkatesh Prasad and another functionary B Ramprasad, the name of MLC VS Ugrappa is doing the rounds. His campaign against illegal mining in Ballari and being well-versed on legal matters are working in his favour.
Comments
Add new comment