Don’t talk against HDK-led coalition govt: Rahul warns Karnataka Congress leaders

Bengaluru, May 19: Congress supremo Rahul Gandhi has directed his party’s leaders in Karnataka to maintain cordial relation with JD(S) leadership for the smooth running of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government.

Mr Gandhi, who chaired state leaders meeting in the national capital, instructed them that nobody should talk against the coalition government and warned to take action against those violating the party line.

The more than an hour-long meeting held at Rahul's residence at Tughluq Lane Road was attended by Karnataka in-charge General Secretary K C Venugopal, Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, state unit president Dinesh Gundu Rao, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and Water Resources Minister D K Shivakumar.

Rahul also instructed the state leaders that there should not be any differences in running the government and whatever the differences are should be resolved amicably. He also asked Siddaramaiah, who is also chairman of the co-ordination committee, to convene a co-ordination committee meeting at the earliest.

Since the Congress high command had decided to join hands with JD(S) and formed the government to keep BJP away from power in Karnataka, nobody should question this, Rahul is learnt to have said.

Emerging out of the meeting, Dinesh Gundu Rao told reporters that Rahul instructed the state leaders not to talk against the Coalition Government. Soon the co-ordination committee meeting will be convened, he said.

Since Congress promised to give extend its support to Kumaraswamy headed coalition government to complete its five-year term, Rahul asked the state leaders to not to air their opinion in publicly and respect coalition dharma.

A few days back JD( S) Supremo H D Deve Gowda called Venugopal and complained against Congress leaders for non-co-operation in the recently held Lok Sabha polls and criticising  Chief Minister Kumaraswamy.

Deve Gowda complaint came in the background of Home Minister M B Patil recent statement that Congress leaders and workers want to see Siddaramaiah as CM again. Subsequently, both the parties leaders engaged in a war of words.