Senior Cong leaders meet state leaders on action to be taken

With the Karnataka Congress in a "vacuum" following the resignation of its top two leaders after the rout in the December 5 assembly bypolls, senior party leaders Madhusudan Mistry andBhakta Charan Das on Thursday met a host of state leaders on behalf of the high command to gather their opinion on the next course of action.

Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah and State Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao quit after the party posted a poor show, winning only two seats, as against 12 it had held of the 15 which went to the December 5 bypolls.

According to sources Mistry and Das gathered opinions on the resignations, whether they need to be accepted or not, and replacements in case the resignations were accepted and also about strengthening the party after its "disastrous" performance in the bypolls.

Among the senior leaders who met the high command representatives were D K Shivakumar, K H Muniyappa, Veerappa Moily, B K Hariprasad, H K Patil, K B Koliwad among others.

Mistry and Das also visited former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is currently recuperating after undergoing angioplasty recently.

"Shri. @MD_Mistry & Shri. @BHAKTACHARANDAS visited me at my residence in Bengaluru.

We discussed various issues concerning our Country and the need to actively fight against policies of @BJP4India," Siddaramaiah tweeted.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, H K Patil said that since the leaders had resigned in the backdrop of the party's performance in the bypolls, Mistry and Das hade come to seek the opinion of other state leaders and he gave his inputs in the interest of the party.

Stating that feedback was being gathered from more than 50 people,he said, "they (Mistry and Das) will submit their report to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and what ever decision she takes, we will abide by it."
Asked if there would be changes in the Congress for the New Year, Patil said "it has to happen, because we cannot let the party stay in a vacuum for long, looking at the developments that are unfolding. There is a need to reorganise the party urgently."
Both Siddaramaiah and Rao in the past had faced resentment