Karnataka: Rattled Ramesh, Kagodu, DK Shivakumar take Ugrappa to task

Bengaluru: Left looking foolish by the party’s failed attempt to remove Legislative Council Chairman D.H. Shankaramurthy, several senior Congress leaders and ministers are now reportedly unhappy with MLC V.S. Ugrappa and his team for not doing their homework well enough before making such a serious move.

Although Mr Ugrappa is said to have gone upto KPCC president Dr G. Parameshwar after the motion’s defeat in the House to apologise, he reportedly received no sympathy from Health and Family Welfare Minister Ramesh Kumar, Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Revenue Minister Kagodu Thimmappa, who took him to task for his poor planning that caused the party such huge embarrassment.

Going by party sources, the ministers could not understand why Mr Ugrappa and his friends gave notice seeking Mr Shankaramurthy’s removal when they were not sure of the support of independents and the JD(S) to carry their plan forward.

“The ministers feel this move has tarnished the party’s image,” sources reveal, claiming that Mr Ugrappa did not consult even Dr Parameshwar before announcing his decision to move the no-confidence motion against the Council Chairman.

It’s also now being claimed that Congress members like S.R. Patil and Dr Parameshwar were personally against moving the no confidence motion, but had no choice but to fall in line when it came to voting.