<p>AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal held closed-door talks with former chief minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday ahead of Sunday’s crucial Coalition Coordination and Monitoring Committee meeting.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Venugopal is also a member of the coordination committee. Venugopal told reporters that it was natural for any coalition set-up to have minor hiccups. “We will resolve them,” he said. Venugopal also discredited Siddaramaiah’s controversial video footage in which he (Siddaramaiah) expresses doubts on the longevity of the Congress-JD(S) coalition. When asked when the Cabinet expansion will take place, Venugopal only said, “Soon.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">He also met Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president Dinesh Gundu Rao, who is reportedly miffed. Rao is aspiring to replace Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara as the KPCC president.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Meanwhile, disgruntled leader and former minister M B Patil met Siddaramaiah and held a closed-door meeting on the Cabinet expansion. Patil, who spearheaded the agitation for separate religion tag for Lingayats (Basava tatva), is upset with the party for not giving him a ministerial berth. He is also lobbying to become the state Congress chief.</p>
<p>AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal held closed-door talks with former chief minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday ahead of Sunday’s crucial Coalition Coordination and Monitoring Committee meeting.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Venugopal is also a member of the coordination committee. Venugopal told reporters that it was natural for any coalition set-up to have minor hiccups. “We will resolve them,” he said. Venugopal also discredited Siddaramaiah’s controversial video footage in which he (Siddaramaiah) expresses doubts on the longevity of the Congress-JD(S) coalition. When asked when the Cabinet expansion will take place, Venugopal only said, “Soon.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">He also met Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president Dinesh Gundu Rao, who is reportedly miffed. Rao is aspiring to replace Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara as the KPCC president.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Meanwhile, disgruntled leader and former minister M B Patil met Siddaramaiah and held a closed-door meeting on the Cabinet expansion. Patil, who spearheaded the agitation for separate religion tag for Lingayats (Basava tatva), is upset with the party for not giving him a ministerial berth. He is also lobbying to become the state Congress chief.</p>