After Kharge’s reprimand, Ministers become cagey about leadership issue

After AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge’s warning on speaking about the leadership issue, State Ministers who were earlier vocal on it chose to remain quiet or refused to get into a discussion on it, on Sunday.

After AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge’s warning on speaking about the leadership issue, State Ministers who were earlier vocal on it chose to remain quiet or refused to get into a discussion on it, on Sunday.

Minister for Large and Medium Industries M.B. Patil said that there was nothing wrong on Mr. Kharge’s part to have underlined the need for discipline in the party.

“Mr. Kharge has asked Ministers and legislators not to speak about the party affairs in public. His political experience is more than my age. If someone has a problem, they can discuss the issue with the president or general secretary of the party,” he told reporters here.

Claiming that the party, which had 139 legislators, remains united, Mr. Patil said that the high command decided on everything in the party.

“M.B. Patil, Satish Jarkiholi and Parameshwara cannot do anything. On the other hand in the BJP, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Basannagouda R. Patil Yatnal, and B.Y. Vijayendra are addressing one another in the singular and are fighting.” He also reiterated that 25 legislators from BJP and Janata Dal (S) were ready to join Congress unconditionally.

Mr. Patil also refuted the claim of Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy’s statements that the Karnataka government was not cooperating in industrial growth.

“We have met him with proposals for the State. I will meet Union Ministers again. Mr. Kumaraswamy should also give up his ego and meet the Chief Minister to bring more industries to the State,” he said.