Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, May 31: For the first time after the Lok Sabha debacle, senior leaders of the Congress party met on Thursday May 30 and introspected on the causes which made the party unpopular among the voters. During the discussions, it is learnt, several leaders felt that the party's truck with the JD(S) was the reason for its poor performance. Still, the general consensus was to continue to see that the coalition government remains intact.

The meeting was held in a private hotel here in the presence of party's state in-charge, K C Venugopal. Former chief minister, Siddaramaiah, deputy chief minister, Dr G Parameshwar, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, Dinesh Gundu Rao and working president, Ishwar Khandre, senior ministers, leaders like Kagodu Thimmappa, T B Jayachanda, B K Hariprasad, Motamma, H C Mahadevappa and several others, were present. Mallikarjun Kharge could not participate as he was away attending a programme that had been fixed long back.

Many leaders opined that as per the instructions of the high command, the coalition government should be protected. But, they cautioned that care should be taken to see that this alliance does not result in reverses for the party in future. They squarely blamed the alliance for the party's current state, and wanted the leadership to ensure that such circumstances do not repeat in the future.