Bangalore: Sonia’s Warning for Deshpande – Motamma Against Two Posts
Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Apr 17: It is learnt that national president of the Congress and UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, has sounded a final warning to Karnataka Pradesh Congress president, R V Deshpande to perform, when the latter met her on Friday April 16. In the meanwhile, leader of the opposition in the state assembly, Siddaramaiah, too met her to give his version of the reasons for the successive defeats of the party in the elections held in the state.
Sonia met the two leaders separately in New Delhi to know the reasons for the party’s debacle. It is learnt, Deshpande has assured her that the party will do well in the gram panchayat elections slated for next month. Deshpande, it is gathered, expressed the view that the party failed to put up a united fight, which worked against it in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagarapalike (BBMP) election. Sources added that Sonia warned Deshpande that the high command will think of replacing him, if the party does not fare well in the gram panchayat elections. Deshpande however, told the reporters that he had apprised the national president of the party about the preparations made by the party to face the gram panchayat elections and that no other points came up for discussions.
Speaking to the media men in the city, leader of the opposition in the legislative council, Motamma, stated that the creation of two posts of the president and working president, has created two power centres in the state and that egos of the two personalities have been coming in the way of the smooth functioning of the party. She said all other state leaders in the party have come together. “The creation of two posts does not conform to the Congress culture. The party high command has been given full details of the problems created out of this,” she stated.
At the same time, she opined that the party workers are confused about the two posts, although the two leaders have been maintaining a healthy relationship, and demanded for reverting to the earlier system of having a single president for the party at the state level.