Bengaluru: The Congress high command on Wednesday intensified efforts to pacify disgruntled Karnataka MLAs left out of the recent cabinet expansion, with party state in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala holding a series of meetings amid growing unrest within the ruling party.
Surjewala met Vijayanagar MLA M. Krishnappa, who is learnt to have reiterated that he would accept nothing short of a ministerial berth and was not interested in any alternative post or responsibility.
The AICC leader also met senior Congress MLA H.K. Patil, who reportedly expressed disappointment over what he described as inadequate representation for North Karnataka in the expanded cabinet, raising concerns about regional imbalance.
Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and KPCC president B.K. Hariprasad have also been holding discussions with dissatisfied legislators in an effort to contain the fallout from the cabinet reshuffle.
Speaking to reporters after the meetings, Surjewala said the Congress functioned as “one family” and expressed confidence that the concerns of the aggrieved MLAs would be resolved through dialogue.
The Congress leadership has been engaged in sustained damage-control efforts as discontent continues to simmer following the cabinet expansion.
