Bengaluru: Allaying fears of a threat to the JD(S-Congress coalition government in the state, JD(S) leaders including Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Sunday tried to instill confidence in party legislators that the government was strong and stable.
The JDLP meeting had assumed importance in the wake of a reported threat by Gokak Congress MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi to pull down the coalition government with the support of fellow legislators.
The path chosen by Mr Jarkiholi had left Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy worried forcing him to hold a couple of meetings with Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwar, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Dinesh Gundurao and Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar, to know how serious the threat to destabilize the government was.
The JDLP meeting was attended by Mr Kumaraswamy, JD(S) supremo and former PM H D Deve Gowda and others. Sources told Deccan Chronicle that the meeting was convened to send a clear message to all MLAs and MLCs that there was no threat to the ten-month old coalition government. Even if there was a threat, state leaders were capable of handling the situation.
All JD(S) leaders were asked not to go to the media to air their grievances or to issue statements against the opposition party as it may create problems. "Keep a safe distance from the media", the legislators were reportedly advised.
Some JD(S) legislators reportedly complained that their developmental works were not given priority by Congress ministers. Mr Kumaraswamy and Mr Gowda asked them to bring such issues to their notice so that they could take these up with Dr G Parameshwar or Mr Dinesh Gundurao.
All of them promised their allegiance to Mr Kumaraswamy and to strengthen the party at the grassroot level.
State JDS President H Vishwanath did not attend the meeting due to the death of a young Panchayat President in Hunsur Assembly constituency which he represents.
