All India Congress Committee general secretary in charge of Karnataka M M Jacob has termed as “totally baseless” speculations that Congress is exploring the possibility of joining hands with the JD (S) in forming the next coalition government in the State.

Interacting with media persons in Bangalore on Monday, Mr Jacob, who is on a three-day visit to the capital,  said that the issue of forming the next coalition government in the State is not on the agenda of his visit. “I’m neither meeting Mr Deve Gowda nor discussing with any JD(S) leader regarding formation of the government. My purpose of the visit is to reconstitute the Pradesh Congress Committee and also the District Congress Committees, which are pending for a long time. I have come here to ascertain the views of partymen on the issue. After I go back to Delhi, I will discuss with the top leaders and announce the PCC and also DCC office-bearers,” he said.

Further, he said that as a Congress worker, he believed in “fighting,” meaning that he was for the Congress fighting in the election and emerging victorious. 

Mr Jacob replied in the negative when asked whether the change of KPCC presidentship was in the offing.
Followers of Mr Siddaramaiah, who joined Congress recently, would be suitably accommodated in the party, he said.

However, regarding giving a post to Mr Siddaramaiah in the party, Mr Jacob said the decision was left to the high command.

Despite Mr Jacob saying that the issue of joining hands with the JD(S) was not on the cards, many Congress leaders and workers who met him, fervently appealed to him not to “fall prey to the designs of  Deve Gowda.”

These leaders are understood to have told Mr Jacob that Deve Gowda wanted to court relationship with the Congress mainly to “blackmail” the BJP. “The Congress should not fall prey to his designs,” these leaders are learnt to have cautioned Mr Jacob.