Sharief takes exception to separate tours by CM, KPCC chief

Senior Congress leader and former Union minister C K Jaffer Sharief on Wednesday took exception to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC president G Parameshwara taking out election tours separately, saying that there was no need for it.

"The party would have benefited if they (Siddaramaiah and Parameshwara) had taken out the election tour together without making it a prestige issue," he told reporters on seeking his reaction on the issue.

Differences had cropped up between Siddaramaiah and Parameshwara over taking out the party campaign across the state. When their spat became public, AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal stepped in to sort it out: He allowed both the leaders to launch separate tours. While Siddaramaiah is touring assembly constituencies represented by Congress party, Parameshwara will tour non-Congress constituencies from this month end.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leaders belonging to minority communities held a meeting and decided to take steps to ensure that the various state government schemes meant for minorities are implemented properly. Though the government has announced a number of welfare schemes, they are not reaching those who are in need of them.

Urban Development Minister R Roshan Baig, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Tanveer Sait, Bengaluru Development Minister K J George and Sharief were among the leaders who attended the meeting. Representatives of some NGOs working for the uplift of minorities were also present. Venugopal is learnt to have directed the leaders to hold a meeting and chalk out a plan to ensure that the government schemes reach the needy people.