<p class="title">Even as disgruntled leaders continued to mount pressure on the Congreess, the Congress continued efforts to resolve the imbroglio on Wednesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">AICC secretaries Manickam Tagore and P C Vishnunadh reached out to disgruntled legislators Tanveer Sait (Narasimharaja), Amaregouda Bayyapur (Kushtagi), P T Parameshwara Naik (Hoovina Hadagali) and Roshan Baig (Shivajinagar) - all of whom are upset that they were not picked to become ministers.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Tagore and Vishnunadh had met senior leader H K Patil on Tuesday as part of the Congress high command’s effort to keep the dissidence under check. For his part, Patil continued to hold meetings with other party leaders on Wednesday. Disgruntled leaders are mounting pressure on the party given that there are six Cabinet positions vacant in the Congress’ quota of 22.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“I have expressed my displeasure over the fact that Muslim leadership in the party is dwindling. The party should have considered my loyalty, hard work and dedication,” said Sait. “The way ministers have been chosen, a person with no knowledge or concern has been inducted. But as minorities welfare minister in the previous government, I reached out to all sections and ensured real beneficiaries got help,” he said. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Another group of about 20 legislators are slated to meet on Friday to collectively express their disgruntlement and demand ministerial berths as well as plum positions of chairpersons in some of the boards and corporations. Chikkaballapur legislator K Sudhakar is said to be leading this camp.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Supporters of veteran leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa petitioned former chief minister Siddaramaiah, seeking a ministerial berth for their leader. Senior Congress leaders are also vying for the post of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, which will gain significance ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.</p>.<p class="bodytext">AICC general secretary incharge of Karnataka K C Venugopal, who is slated to arrive in Bengaluru on Thursday, is likely to gather opinions of party leaders on who should replace Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara as the state party chief. KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao, former ministers M B Patil, Satish Jarkiholi, former union minister K H Muniyappa and AICC general secretary B K Hariprasad are said to be in the race. “There will be a new president soon,” said Rao, after his meeting with Parameshwara. “Answers to all questions will come once Venugopal arrives,” he said, adding that the party had to start preparing for the Lok Sabha polls.</p>
<p class="title">Even as disgruntled leaders continued to mount pressure on the Congreess, the Congress continued efforts to resolve the imbroglio on Wednesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">AICC secretaries Manickam Tagore and P C Vishnunadh reached out to disgruntled legislators Tanveer Sait (Narasimharaja), Amaregouda Bayyapur (Kushtagi), P T Parameshwara Naik (Hoovina Hadagali) and Roshan Baig (Shivajinagar) - all of whom are upset that they were not picked to become ministers.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Tagore and Vishnunadh had met senior leader H K Patil on Tuesday as part of the Congress high command’s effort to keep the dissidence under check. For his part, Patil continued to hold meetings with other party leaders on Wednesday. Disgruntled leaders are mounting pressure on the party given that there are six Cabinet positions vacant in the Congress’ quota of 22.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“I have expressed my displeasure over the fact that Muslim leadership in the party is dwindling. The party should have considered my loyalty, hard work and dedication,” said Sait. “The way ministers have been chosen, a person with no knowledge or concern has been inducted. But as minorities welfare minister in the previous government, I reached out to all sections and ensured real beneficiaries got help,” he said. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Another group of about 20 legislators are slated to meet on Friday to collectively express their disgruntlement and demand ministerial berths as well as plum positions of chairpersons in some of the boards and corporations. Chikkaballapur legislator K Sudhakar is said to be leading this camp.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Supporters of veteran leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa petitioned former chief minister Siddaramaiah, seeking a ministerial berth for their leader. Senior Congress leaders are also vying for the post of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, which will gain significance ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.</p>.<p class="bodytext">AICC general secretary incharge of Karnataka K C Venugopal, who is slated to arrive in Bengaluru on Thursday, is likely to gather opinions of party leaders on who should replace Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara as the state party chief. KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao, former ministers M B Patil, Satish Jarkiholi, former union minister K H Muniyappa and AICC general secretary B K Hariprasad are said to be in the race. “There will be a new president soon,” said Rao, after his meeting with Parameshwara. “Answers to all questions will come once Venugopal arrives,” he said, adding that the party had to start preparing for the Lok Sabha polls.</p>