Gowda meets Rahul, complains against Cong leaders

Ahead of Cabinet expansion of the H D Kumaraswamy-led coalition government in Karnataka, former prime minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda met Congress president Rahul Gandhi here on Monday and complained to him against state Congress leaders including former chief minister Siddaramaiah.

The former prime minister drove down to Rahul Gandhi’s 12 Tughlaq Lane residence on Monday morning and was closeted with him for nearly half-an-hour before leaving for Bengaluru in the afternoon.

The impending reshuffle of the Karnataka council of ministers was learnt to be the focus of discussions, with Gowda pitching for dropping some senior Congress ministers who were critical of the chief minister to check rebellion in the ranks.

The former prime minister also complained against former chief minister Siddaramaiah’s opposition to Kumaraswamy’s plan for a complete overhaul of the council of ministers, sources said.

The JD(S) supremo was also learnt to have told Rahul that unless the Congress controls its leaders including Siddaramaiah, it would be difficult to run the government
smoothly.

In the meeting, Gowda raised the issue of internal rumbling within the Congress and said it would harm the coalition government, sources said.

Gowda also brought to the notice of Rahul remarks by Congress leaders, including senior leader H K Patil, publicly opposing the Cabinet decision on handing over 3,667 acres land to JSW Steel Ltd in Ballari district.

Since the Industry department, which piloted the proposal, was with the Congress and its leader K J George is the minister, how can Congress leaders opposing the decision publicly, the former prime minister is learnt to have argued.

Gowda had been trying to meet Rahul for the past one week. Since Rahul returned to Delhi on Sunday night after wrapping his three-day visit to Wayanad, Gowda met him on Monday morning, sources said.