CLP meet: Senior Karnataka MLA threatens to quit citing 'self-respect'

'If there's no self-respect, I'll resign and go,' B R Patil, the Aland MLA, is said to have told Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Senior Karnataka lawmaker B R Patil threatened to resign during Thursday's Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting, citing "self-respect" and "arrogant" ministers, according to sources.

"If there's no self-respect, I'll resign and go," Patil, the Aland MLA, is said to have told Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said at the CLP meeting.

Sources close to Patil said he slammed ministers not taking MLAs into confidence.

Patil and other MLAs had petitioned Siddaramaiah to convene the CLP meeting to express their frustration. Their grouse is that their say has been curtailed as district ministers "control everything".

When Siddaramaiah questioned the need for the letter that was written to him, Patil asserted his right, sources said. "There's internal democracy," he said. When asked why Patil's letter was leaked, the MLA responded: "I'm not responsible for the leak. I have nothing to do with the leak."

Apparently, Patil received backing from MLAs Vinay Kulkarni, CS Nadagouda, Hamapanagouda Badarli, Yashavantaraygoud Patil and others.

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It is also said that Patil complained against officers posted in his Kalaburagi district where Rural Development Minister Priyank Kharge is in charge.

Siddaramaiah has promised monthly meetings with MLAs to address their grievances. Sources said the CM also promised appointing MLAs to 50 per cent of posts at boards and corporations in August. The remaining 50 per cent will be party workers.

One MLA was so frustrated that he reportedly asked to be made the personal assistant (PA) of any minister in order to get his works done.

Home Minister G Parameshwara denied Patil's resignation threat. "No such thing happened. I don't know if (Patil) said anything outside (the CLP meeting) or privately to someone," he said. Parameshwara added that MLAs apologised to the CM over the letter fiasco. "They apologised after the CM advised against writing letters or carrying out signature campaigns."

Speaking to reporters, Kharge said everybody cannot be made happy. "Transfers should be as per the cadre & recruitment rules. For premature transfers, it's at the CM's discretion. We can't make everyone happy. But 90 per cent of the time, things happen as (MLAs) want," he said.

In an apparent fallout of the CLP meeting, the government Friday transferred 146 tahsildars. Also, the Finance Department issued an official memorandum authorising heads of departments to incur necessary expenditure during the financial year.

All ministers have been asked to assemble in New Delhi to meet AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and former MP Rahul Gandhi on August 2.