Soon after senior Congress leader Ramesh Jarkiholi threatened to quit the party and Ramalinga Reddy's supporters hinted at hitting back during Lok Sabha election, Karnataka Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao jumped into action for some damage control. Speaking to reporters, Rao said that Ramesh Jarkiholi would not go anywhere and that he would take both Jarkiholi and Ramalinga Reddy into confidence.
Bengaluru: Hours after five-time MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi announced that he would walk out from Congress and Ramalinga Reddy's supporters warned of repercussions during Lok Sabha elections, Karnataka's Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao said that Jarkiholi would not go anywhere and he would take those disgruntled leaders into confidence.
Speaking to reporters at Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee office in Bengaluru, Rao said, "Ramesh and I joined Youth Congress wing together. It is normal for any individual to air such differences when they are dropped from the Cabinet. I will speak to him and we will sort out our differences. With respect to Ramalinga Reddy, he is one of the senior most leaders and he deserves to be in the Cabinet. I will also speak to him. Since we had to give equal representations to north Karnataka region, leaders from that area were given the chance."
Hinting at reshuffle after Lok Sabha elections, Rao said, "Based on the performance and review, there will be a rejig and the leaders, who could not be accommodated, will be preferred."
"It is not to easy to not have disappointments after Cabinet formation, expansion and rejig. There will be resentments, which will slow down after a day or two. The important matter is that the government is safe and we will fight Lok Sabha elections in unison."
In the conference, he also stressed that disciplinary action would be taken against leaders, who indulge in "anti-party work". As a warning, the party suspended few members of the zilla panchayat, taluk panchayat, etc, for indulging in alleged anti-party activities during Assembly elections.
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