While a panic-stricken Congress party is going on an overdrive to save the coalition in Karnataka, on Thursday, 30 May, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy called on Congress president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi, and assured him the coalition government is stable.
The meeting comes amidst speculations that the Bhartiya Janata Party’s (BJP) efforts to topple the Karnataka government would begin soon after the swearing in of the new government at the Centre led by Narendra Modi.
In a statement after the meeting, the Chief Minister’s office said both leaders discussed the current political scenario in the state. “The CM apprised Rahul Gandhi of the current situation in the State and said that coalition government in the State is functioning smoothly with cooperation and coordination between both the parties,” said the statement.
It also added that the during the meeting Kumaraswamy also appealed to Rahul Gandhi not to quit the AICC president’s position as the nation needs his service.
Congress Leaders Hold Meetings
Although CM Kumaraswamy claims the government is safe, the brewing discontent among legislators of the coalition parties remains a concern for the alliance. On Thursday morning, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara called a breakfast meeting with Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge KC Venugopal, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah and other senior leaders.
Following the meeting, Congress Legislative Party leader and the chairman of the coalition coordination committee Siddaramaiah said.
“All have decided that this government should continue and there is no threat to this government by the BJP. The results of the parliamentary election will not make any impact on this government, because the verdict given in the parliamentary election is not to state government, it is to form a government at the centre. So all our ministers…. yesterday we had our Legislative Party meeting, all our MLAs are united, all our ministers are united. So, where the threat? (Sic)“Siddaramaiah, Congress Legislative Party leader
Absent MLAs Raise Concerns
While the coalition camp claims the government is safe, the absence of some MLAs at the crucial Legislative Party meeting on Wednesday had raised several questions.
Out of the of 79 Congress MLAs seven MLAs abstained from the meeting without any intimation. While Siddaramaiah said that many of them were unwell or travelling, no explanations were given for the absence of two leaders - Roshan Baig and Ramesh Jarkiholi.
Both had spoken against the party after the election results and Ramesh Jarkiholi had even claimed the ‘team of MLAs’ were ready to defect.
According to sources, however, the Congress is offering these MLAs cabinet posts to pacify them.
However, the BJP which led in 170 of the 224 assembly segments in the parliamentary election is confident that Congress MLAs will jump ship. At present, in order to topple the government, the BJP requires at least 12 MLAs from the coalition camp to resign.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)