Congress says it won't compromise on agenda to restructure Palike

The All India Congress Committee secretary in charge of Karnataka A Chella Kumar said on Thursday the party will not compromise on its agenda on re-structuring the Bengaluru municipal area.

Chella Kumar, who is camping in Bengaluru to oversee the exercise of having a tie-up with the JD(S) in the BBMP, said that the question of dropping the plan to re-structure Bengaluru does not arise at this juncture.

“The JD(S) has extended unconditional support to the Congress. But there are some minor issues, and State party president (G Parameshwara) will sort them out,” he added.
Asked what the party will do if father-son duo of the JD(S) H D Deve Gowda and H D

Kumaraswamy insist that the re-structuring agenda should be dropped, the AICC secretary reiterated that the party State president and the chief minister will sort out all issues by holding talks with the JD(S) State president.

“The communal BJP has done a lot of damage to Bengaluru in the last five years. The main agenda before the Congress and the JD(S) is now to keep the communal forces away from power and work towards the development of Bengaluru.

“Leaders of both the parties are aware of this. There is a clear understanding between the two parties,” he stated. Gowda on Wednesday informed Parameshwara to drop the re-structuring agenda in order to form an alliance between the two parties.

The JD(S)' stand came as shock to the ruling party leaders who are eager to hold the reins of power in the BBMP. Gowda had asked the State Congress chief to hold further talks with his son Kumaraswamy.

But the much-awaited meeting between Parameshwara and Kumaraswamy did not take place even on Thursday. The Congress leader and Siddaramaiah were away in Raichur attending the death ceremony of party MLA Raja Venkatappa Naik. Parameshwara is likely to meet Kumaraswamy on Friday, but there was no confirmation from either of the parties in this regard.