Cong leaders to Hariprasad: Do not air grouse in public

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Senior Congress leader B K Hariprasad's veiled dig at Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seems to have created unease within the ruling party, with some senior leaders and ministers advising him to not to air his grouses outside, and instead take it up with party high command.

Industries Minister M B Patil, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and senior MLA Basavaraj Rayareddy, reminded Hariprasad about his seniority and experience in politics and tried to suggest that his statements were unbecoming of his stature.

"Hariprasad is a senior leader, he has to guide youngsters. He can speak with AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Randeep Surjewala, KC Venugopal, directly. He has contacts, he can air his grouses with them. Speaking at other platforms is not right for his stature," Patil said.

Stressing that nobody is above the party and should not cross the line, he said, "The party will be observing everything, including Hariprasad's statement and will take appropriate decisions."

Rao said, "... positions come and go, but speaking like that on a public platform is unacceptable."

In what is being seen as veiled attack against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Hariprasad on Saturday had said, some people wearing a Hublot watch along with a panche (dhoti) cannot claim to be a Samajwadi (socialist).