: Amid simmering discontent in the ruling coalition's alliance partner Congress, party General Secretary K C Venugopal Tuesday held discussions withtop Congress leaders in Karnataka and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on recent political developments and the Lok Sabha exit poll results.
During the meeting with the Chief Minister, Venugopal is said to have assured there would be no threat to the coalition government, amid speculations about its survival after the Lok Sabha poll results, Congress sources said.
JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy not attending the meeting of opposition leaders on the EVM issue is saidto have triggered the AICC General Secretary's meeting with theChief Minister and assurance about government's continuity.
Kumaraswamy, who was scheduled to travel to Delhi Tuesday morning, cancelled it at the last moment.
Ahead of the meeting with the Chief Minister, Venugopal,along with KPCC President Dinesh Gundu Rao, Deputy ChiefMinister G Parameshwara, met Siddaramaiah at his residencehere and held discussions.
The leaders mainly discussed senior party MLA Roshan Baig's outburst against the party leadership, disgruntlement amongCongress leaders like Ramesh Jarkiholi and exit poll results, among other things, party sources said.
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Venugopalexpressed anguish at Baig's comments,they said.
The AICC General Secretary, along with Congress leaders, then drove down to a hotel here to meet the Chief Minister anddiscussed with him the recent political developments, exit poll results, possible attempts by BJP to poach MLAs through 'Operation Lotus' and destabilise the government, as also on disgruntled legislators like Jarkiholi.
Hitting out at Congress leaders for the party's performance in the Lok Sabha polls as projected in the exit polls, Baig Tuesday held Siddaramaiah's "arrogance" and Rao's "immaturity" responsible for the "flop show".
He had also called Venugopal, who is in-charge of Karnataka a "buffoon."