Bengaluru: Amidst the discourse between leaders of the coalition partners JD(S) and Congress on who had back-stabbed whom during the just concluded Lok Sabha polls, Congress Legislature Party(CLP) leader, Siddaramaiah has reportedly frowned on any move by the state unit to take action against former Congress legislators in Mandya and insisted that nothing should be done till the Lok Sabha results are out on May 23.
Several Janata Dal (S) leaders including Chief Minister, H. D. Kumaraswamy had accused Mandya Congress leaders like N. Chelurayaswamy and P.M. Narendra Swamy of supporting Mandya Independent candidate Sumalata Ambareesh and not the coalition's candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy. The accusations gained ground after these rebel leaders were seen in CCTV footage having dinner with Ms Sumalatha at a Bengaluru hotel. With JD(S) leaders demanding action against these leaders for violating the coalition dharma, KPCC president, Dinesh Gundurao had summoned them and demanded an explanation on Friday.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior leader disclosed that Mr Siddaramaiah had called up Mr Rao and asked him not to proceed further on the JD(S) complaint. "It gives an impression that the Congress has given in to the JD(S). What is wrong in going to a dinner party attended by Ms Sumlatha, that too after the election is over? These leaders were good friends of late Ambareesh and so going to a dinner should not be blown out of proportion," Mr Siddaramaiah is learnt to have told Mr Rao.
“All their (JD-S) demands cannot be met. They need to know that the Congress does not have to bend backwards just to keep the JD(S) happy,” Mr Siddarmaiah reportedly remarked.
