With several MLAs raising their voice against the functioning of some Ministers in the two-month-old Congress government in Karnataka, the former AICC president Rahul Gandhi has decided to meet all Ministers and senior leaders of the party on August 2 in New Delhi.
Party sources said that with the parliamentary elections less than a year away, the Congress is focusing on a good performance from Karnataka. “Mr. Gandhi will speak to Ministers urging them to collectively make efforts to effectively implement poll guarantees to bring a good image to the government,” said a leader.
Spread the good word
He is expected to give a pep talk to Ministers, telling them to spread the good word about the government’s policies and initiatives at the ground level.
With some senior leaders sulking following the denial of Cabinet berths in the Siddaramaiah-led government, sources in the party said AICC president M. Mallikarjun Kharge, Mr. Gandhi, and AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala are likely to hold talks with the leaders, including B.K. Hariprasad, MLC. The MLC would be persuaded not to air differences on policies in the public, a party functionary said.
To repeat the Assembly performance in the general elections, Mr. Gandhi is expected to tell senior leaders about the necessity of holding better ties between the government and the party to ensure support from the cadre.
Ministers for LS polls?
As the party has just one MP in the present Lok Sabha, sources said some Ministers would also be asked to make preparations to contest the coming Lok Sabha elections.
In the Congress Legislature Party meeting held on July 27, legislators expressed their anger over their constituency works not being prioritised by the Ministers.
On corruption charges
As the former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy had levelled charges of corruption in the transfer of officials, Mr. Gandhi is expected to remind Ministers about the party’s 40% commission campaign against the previous BJP government.
In the meeting, the party high command is likely to make a detailed presentation to Ministers on how various programmes and initiatives of the government can bring benefits to people. The meeting would discuss social media handlers of Ministers too, sources said.
