Satish: Why must anyone fear dinner meetings

Dr G says SC/ST netas' meet will happen, DKS denies factionalism

- DEVARAJ B HIREHALLI @Bengaluru

CHIEF Minister Siddaramaiah called the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting on Monday in tandem with the party high command instructing Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara not to hold the SC/ST legislators' meeting separately.

Incidentally, Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC president DK Shivakumar has kickstarted organising the party's rank and file under the 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Constitution' programme, which was postponed due to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's death. It has now been rescheduled to January 21 in Belagavi.

"The high command has instructed both the chief minister and DCM to control the damage as it felt that the party would be roiled in internal bickering like BJP," remarked a legislator close to Shivakumar.

Shivakumar on Wednesday held a joint press conference with Parameshwara, PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi, both known to host dinner meetings, Food and Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa and Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar. This was apparently to send out a message that the party is not facing any factionalism.

Shivakumar said, "The CLP meeting has been called to save the values of Gandhiji and Dr BR Ambedkar's, to protect the Constitution and promote our party's principles. We will discuss various other issues."