CM hosts dinner for Cong legislators

With the Opposition demanding his resignation over the diamond-studded watch issue, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday evening hosted dinner to the ruling party legislators at a star hotel.

The chief minister has hosted the dinner a day before the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting. The CLP is scheduled to be held on Wednesday at Vidhana Soudha. Siddaramaiah wants the ruling party to counter the Opposition attack on the issue unitedly in both the Assembly and the Council.

Many party legislators, especially seniors, are not happy with Siddaramaiah as far as the watch issue is concerned. They are of the view that the controversy has damaged the party’s image. Some of them even believe that the watch issue was a reason for the Congress party putting up a poor show in the recently concluded zilla and taluk panchayat polls, the sources said.

Moreover, the party high command has taken the controversy seriously. The row has embarrassed the Congress which had been accusing the Narendra Modi government as suit boot ki sarkar. A section of Congress leaders are even speculating about the leadership change in Karnataka. Hence, it is important for Siddaramaiah at this juncture to ensure that the CLP members stand by him, the sources pointed out.