Hariprasad, Muniyappa call on Shivakumar

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Congress MLC BK Hariprasad and Minister for Food and Civil Supplies KH Muniyappa called on Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar at the latter’s residence in Bengaluru on Thursday.

When pressed about the visits, Shivakumar, also the Karnataka Congress chief, tried to downplay the visits, claiming they discussed regular party matters.

This is the first time Hariprasad has visited the Deputy CM’s residence after his multiple public outbursts against CM Siddaramaiah, for which he had earned a letter from the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

Hariprasad, who is in Shivakumar’s camp, has been miffed with Siddarmaiah because he missed out on a Cabinet berth this time around. Instead, fellow Ediga Madhu Bangarappa landed the Primary and Secondary Education portfolio.

Shivakumar, however, said that visits were about preparations for next year’s Lok Sabha elections and appointment of chairpersons to the corporations.

“Hariprasad and Muniyappa had come to discuss the Lok Sabha elections. Moreover, Muniyappa suggested that the posts of the chairpersons for various corporations be filled at the earliest,” he said.

The Karnataka Congress chief also said that party candidates were being discussed for MLC constituencies namely Graduates and Teachers’ segments.

He added that they wanted to name the candidates as soon as possible and the contenders were being discussed with fellow ministers such as Ramalinga Reddy, Eshwar Khandre and Priyank Kharge.

He reiterated that many leaders within the BJP and JD(S) had been angry with the alliance and would come over to the Congress soon, adding that he would discuss the matter with Siddaramaiah.

Former lawmakers have reportedly been meeting with Congress MLC Jagadish Shettar over this issue.