From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Jan 30: With the Siddaramaiah regime gearing to face the Katnataka legislature session from Monday, a meeting of the ruling party at the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee office on Friday turned out to be a tough gruelling session for the Chief Minister on the Arkavathi layout denotification issue as also the sudden resignation of the State Excise Minister SatishJarkiholi.

The two issues figured prominently at the party meeting held at the KPCC office in the presence of AICC General Secretary Digvijaya Singh, who is also the party in-charge in Karnataka, in Bengaluru on Friday.

According to party sources, Singh sought details from the Chief Minister on the Arkavathi denotification scam, which had been made a political issue by the opposition BJP and JD(S).

Siddaramaiah reportedly defended his action and is learnt to have told Singh that denotification had been done as per directives from court and in due consultation with the officers of the State Urban Development Department and BDA officials.

The Chief Minister also accused the BJP of politicizing the issue just to defame his 20-month old government.

Singh asked the State Congress leaders not to do anything that would defame the government in the State.

The Chief Minister is also claimed to have said that there was no truth whatsoever in the accusations by the opposition parties and blamed the previous BJP government of denotifying large tracts of land, while it was in power.

Siddaramaiah also noted that all records would be placed before the State Legislature.which will begin from February 2.

"I have nothing to hide and am confident of facing whatever charges from the opposition and give a convincing reply," Siddaramaiah reportedly said.

Singh directed the ministers to defend the government on the floor of the House as the opposition parties were sure to raise this issue from the first day of the Legislature.

Singh is learnt to have asked the Chief Minister to hasten the process of appointment of directors to various boards and corporations as the party workers were sore over the delay in the nomination.

The resignation of Excise Minister Satish Jarkiholi also reportedly came up for discussion in the meeting.

Singh is believed to have asked for the reasons behind Jarkiholi's resignation and asked the Chief Minister to sort out the issue before it becomes a weapon for the opposition parties to attack the Congress government.

Siddaramaiah reportedly told Singh thatJarkiholi will be meeting him soon when all contentious issues and grievances would be sorted out.

However, Siddaramaiah is said to have told Singh that it would be difficult for him to give another portfolio to Jarkiholi as there have been similar demands from other ministers seeking change of their portfolio.

Singh is learnt to have asked the Chief Minister to resolve the issue without affecting the party's image.

Singh, according to sources, sought to implementation of promises made to the people at the time of Assembly polls and asked Siddaramaiah to include unimplemented schemes in the coming budget.

The people have given a clear mandate to Congress party in the previous Assembly polls and it is the duty of the government to fulfill them as the local body elections were fast approaching.

"We need to respond to needs and aspirations of the people so that it will be easy for the party to win the coming elections," he said.

CM asked not to recommend persons with 'fanatic ideology’ as HC judges

AICC General Secretary Digvijaya Singh, who is also the party In-Charge of Karnataka, hasasked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah not to recommend the names of senior advocates with "fanatic ideology" to the High Court collegium for appointment as High Court judges.

The Senior Congress leader, who addressed the KPCC legal cell meeting in Bengaluru on Friday, said some advocates have links with the Hindu communal forces and the Muslim communal forces. Such persons should not be recommended for the post of judges keeping in view the sanctity of judiciary.

"The government must be careful while suggesting names for the posts of high court judges. At the same time, representation to women should be kept in mind," he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who accompanied the AICC General Secretary, accused the BJP of indulging in character assassination on the Arkavathi land denotification scam.

Claiming that he had done nothing wrong or illegal and that he was totally innocent, the Chief Minister accused the saffron party of politicizing this issue."

"I have only done remodification of the Arkavathi layout as per court directives. The previous BJP government has denotified large tracts of land during their five year tenure. The advocates of the party legal cell have to educate the people about the ground reality as they believe the men in black coats than politicians," he said.

KPCC President Dr G Parameshwara also spoke at the meeting.