KPCC chief dismayed over govt not working in sync with party

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president G Parameshwara on Tuesday is said to have expressed dismay over the state government not working in sync with the party.

Parameshwara aired this concern at the first meeting of newly-appointed KPCC office-bearers. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was present when Parameshwara said "better coordination" is needed between the government and the ruling party. "At the end of the day, it is the party workers who take the government's achievements to the masses. The government has to work with the party," he is learnt to have said.

Insiders view this as a continuation of the tension between Parameshwara and Siddaramaiah. The two have been at loggerheads over several issues, including taking out the party's poll campaign across the state.

Siddaramaiah   undertook a government-sponsored tour in Congress-ruled constituencies, leaving Parameshwara to visit constituencies where the party lost in the 2013 polls.

Siddaramaiah, however, told party workers in the meeting that there is unity.

Parameshwara also pointed out that party workers have complained that ministers are inaccessible. "Let them at least appoint personal assistants with whom party workers can keep in touch," he apparently said.

Irked that five ministers and 80 office-bearers skipped the meeting, Parameshwara remarked that those who do not work in the party's interest were "nalayaks". He asked the office-bearers to buck up in the next 15 days, warning them that they will be shown the door otherwise.

Pandavas vs Kauravas

Siddaramaiah apparently said the upcoming assembly election is a Yuddha (battle) in which the Congress represents the righteous Pandavas and the Opposition BJP the ominous Kauravas.

AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal distributed responsibilities to the new office-bearers thus: One secretary to handle one assembly constituency, one general secretary for four constituencies and one vice-president for every two districts. They have to monitor the functioning of booth-level committees and submit periodical reports with photographs.