High command upset over MLA tantrums

Bengaluru: The Congress high command is reportedly very unhappy with the behaviour of some of its senior legislators, who are revolting after being  denied Cabinet berths and has warned that it is closely watching them.

According to some party leaders it would be in the  legislators’ interests  to back down as they were tarnishing the party’s image by holding  protests in public and raising slogans against their own  leaders. 

“The party knows how to tackle indiscipline among its legislators. Be they senior or newly elected MLAs, they should stop doing this natak in public or they will have to pay a heavy price later,” they said.

The leaders said it was not easy to select 15 legislators in the first round of Cabinet expansion as there were over 60 aspirants. “National leaders sat across the table for days and nights to finalise the first list of Ministers. After Congress president, Rahul Gandhi's return to Delhi, he continued to discuss the matter with Karnataka leaders like Dr G Parameshwar, and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka, K C Venugopal and Mallikarjun Kharge to select the 15 Ministers. It was a collective decision.  The Congress still has a quota of six vacancies which will be filled up in due course,” they added.

Going by sources, the party could  make MLAs Ministers in rotation  and the senior among them may be accommodated in the next Cabinet expansion if they did not continue their  protest. 

“Defying the party diktat amounts to indiscipline which will not be tolerated  at any cost. Ultimately, it will be a loss for the MLAs and not the party,” they added.