Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President Dr G Parameshwar have left for Delhi to facilitate a meeting of the six suspended Janata Dal (Secular) legislators- who are eager to join the Congress- with AICC President Mrs Sonia Gandhi.
Speculation is rife that one of them may be inducted into the state cabinet during the expansion Mr Siddaramaiah has been planning for some time.
Talking to reporters in Delhi on Wednesday, the CM said, "I have come here to introduce JD(S) legislators, Mr Zameer Ahmed Khan, Mr H.C. Balakrishna, Mr Ramesh Bandisiddegowda, Mr N Cheluvarayaswamy, Mr Bhima Naik and Mr Akhanda Srinivasamurthy to Mrs Sonia Gandhi. These legislators were suspended from the JD(S) after cross voting in favour of the Congress during biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka last year. Since then, they were making efforts to join the Congress and had held several rounds of discussion with state leaders in this regard."
The rebel JD(S) MLAs were suspended after they supported Rajya Sabha candidate K.C. Ramamurthy. The educationist-politician, who was supported by the Congress, won the Rajya Sabha seat last year with the support of these MLAs.
The CM said the meeting with Mrs Gandhi was likely to be held on Thursday morning in the presence of state leaders. "I will also discuss with the party high command the filling up of vacancies in the Legislative Council and Cabinet expansion," he said.
"We will try and strengthen the Congress, as it is the only secular force that we have. The JD(S) has compromised on its secular credentials by siding with the BJP and the only option we have is the Congress, which we will strengthen," Zameer Ahmed Khan said.
