Cong prepares MLAs’ support letter, defers selection of legislative leaders

Congress, which will be part of the three-party government expected to be formed in the state, has formally prepared a consent letter of support of its 44 MLAs to

Congress, which will be part of the three-party government expected to be formed in the state, has formally prepared a consent letter of support of its 44 MLAs to be submitted to the Governor. The party has also deferred the election of its legislative leader and the group leader in the legislative Assembly, fearing unrest among senior party leaders over the sharing of the portfolios and political responsibilities in the new government.

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Congress was expected to elect its legislative party leader and the group leader in the lower house on Friday. All its MLAs were summoned to the party office at Vidhan Bhavan in the afternoon for a meeting, but it was deferred at the last minute.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and Maharashtra in charge Mallikarjun Kharge, and general secretary KC Venugopal, who were in Mumbai to attend a meeting with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders over the government formation, were expected to be observers at the meeting with the party MLAs.

“The appointment of the legislative party leader and the group leader is generally announced by the central leadership after a resolution by the legislators at the state level. We were expecting the resolution to be passed in the meeting, but it was deferred. As the final decision over the post of deputy chief minister and speaker has not been taken yet, the call to appoint senior leaders in the house is a tough one,” said a leader involved in the procedure. “There are differences among the senior leaders over the sharing of the responsibilities of deputy chief minister and speaker. The leadership was wary if the show of strength would come to the fore during the meeting, and hence it was deferred,” the leader said.