Karnataka Congress leaders Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar in Delhi, refute in-fighting talks

On Tuesday, the Congress party shared a picture of Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar laughing in the company of senior leaders Rahul Gandhi, Randeep Singh Surjewala and KC Venugopal. The two leaders from Karnataka are also scheduled to have one-on-one meetings with the party top brass on Wednesday, according to people aware of the developments.

The battle for dominance within the Congress party in Karnataka has once again reached Delhi as Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah and state party president DK Shivakumar were summoned by the high command to resolve the differences and chart out the course for the 2023 assembly elections, people aware of the developments said.

The battle for dominance within the Congress party in Karnataka has once again reached Delhi as Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah and state party president DK Shivakumar were summoned by the high command to resolve the differences. (ANI)

On Tuesday, the Congress party shared a picture of Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar laughing in the company of senior leaders Rahul Gandhi, Randeep Singh Surjewala and KC Venugopal.

The two leaders from Karnataka are also scheduled to have one-on-one meetings with the party top brass on Wednesday, according to people aware of the developments.

DK Shivakumar, the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) said on Wednesday that the two leaders are in Delhi to discuss the plan of action for the upcoming assembly elections and “remove the corrupt Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from power in the state”.

“We are facing elections in our state. The BJP corruption is affecting every home in the state, and we have come here to discuss how we should remove them and give the people better administration as is the wish of the entire country. The PMO is also enquiring into corruption allegations of the state government despite sitting on the (contractors association’s) complaint for 6-7 months as they (BJP central leadership) also know-how about these corruption charges,” he said.

He added that the Congress party will “unitedly” face the assembly elections and has submitted its action plan as well as received guidance on how to dislodge the BJP.

The statements come at a time when speculation has been rife about a widening rift between the two top leaders of the Congress in Karnataka. The battle for one-upmanship has also given the BJP some breathing room as the principal opposition has been busy with its problems and has been unable to capitalise on the piling charges of corruption, distortion of history and mal-administration under Basavaraj Bommai, people aware of the developments said.

The two leaders nurse the ambition of being named as the chief ministerial candidate is a known secret in Karnataka, which has fueled the infighting between the two camps, forcing others to identify with either one of them ahead of the elections.

A group of Siddaramaiah’s loyalists are planning to celebrate a month-long celebration in August to mark the 75th birthday of the former chief minister in an event called “Siddramohatsava”, which will highlight all the contributions of the leader during his term as chief minister between 2013018.

According to multiple people aware of the developments, Siddaramaiah has the upper hand in the battle for dominance within the Congress in Karnataka.

‘Siddaramotsava’ will be organised in every district and Assembly constituency till September 3 to project Siddaramaiah and his contributions, which are being seen as an attempt to send a message to the high command and detractors within the party, ahead of polls, while consolidating his ‘minority, backward classes and Dalits’ (AHINDA) vote base.

HC Mahadevappa, a former minister and a person considered close to the former chief minister, said it is only a “thought” among Siddaramaiah’s wellwishers and supporters as of now, and no decision has been taken yet, PTI reported on Wednesday.

“...it will be decided after consulting him. Siddaramaiah has worked as a political statesman, a cultural leader, a socialist, also his pro-people work and stands while in the government...we want to place it before the people to inform them, along with strengthening the Congress party,” Mahadevappa said.

The Shivakumar camp has hit back at the celebrations, which are being viewed as a show of strength by the Siddaramaiah supporters who have, on occasion, defied the party and announced that the latter would be the “next CM of Karnataka”.

DK Suresh, Shivakumar’s brother and the lone Congress member of the Lok Sabha from Karnataka, said that several leaders within the Congress want to become the chief minister.

“Everyone has the desire to become Chief Minister...There are senior legislators like Ramalinga Reddy, who has won seven times, also R V Deshpande, Mallikarjun Kharge, G Parameshwara, and M B Patil, who are aspirants,” he said.

Suresh added that Siddaramaiah has been the opposition leader for 10 years and hinted that even Shivakumar is the party president, reiterating that the latter was still in the race to become the chief minister if the Congress does come to power in the 2023 assembly elections.