Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jun 15: In-charge of Congress party affairs in Karnataka, K C Venugopal, has warned legislators from his party who are agitated over not being made a minister, of initiating disciplinary action against them if they hold separate meeting and undertake any activity that harms the party.

"Our party encountered reverses in the recent assembly election. As a result, the party is going through a difficult phase. In spite of this, the party has forged a coalition with JD(S) in association with JD(S). Therefore, we could not offer the post of ministers to all the aspirants," he explained.

K C Venugopal

He stated that the functioning style of the people who have been made ministers now would be closely monitored for six months, at the end of which decision would be taken about who can be continued and who should be dropped.

Venugopal stated that the party has diligently undertaken the task of filling limited number of ministerial vacancies available to it, on the basis of eligibility. He asked all the party members to understand the current situation and involve themselves sincerely in the party building activities. At the same time, he said that the party will not hesitate to initiate disciplinary action against anyone found whiling away time organizing meeting to register dissent against the party leadership.

In the meantime, several legislators met Venugopal, who is on a visit to the city to take part in the coordination committee meeting, to express their displeasure. While some of them insisted on being made ministers, others expressed readiness to head corporations and boards. Important among those who met Venugopal were H K Patil, Tanveer Sait, P T Parameshwar Naik, C S Shivalli, and V Muniyappa. Venugopal reportedly assured them that they would get the posts they deserve and asked them not to air their grievances in public forums.

On this occasion, chairpersons of several boards and corporations met Venugopal to express their grievance at having received letters from the chief secretary asking them to vacate their posts as a new government has been formed. They said they were appointed just 18 months back to the posts when Siddaramaiah was the chief minister and requested him to allow them to complete their terms.

After meeting the dissidents in the presence of Dr G Parameshwar, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Krishna Byregowda and Rizwan, discussions were held about the post of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president.