Everything is not going well in the Congress government of Karnataka. There is a political tussle going on between CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar for many days. However, both are denying this tussle. But whatever is happening from Bengaluru to Delhi regarding Karnataka indicates that things have gone too far.
Many Congress MLAs from Karnataka have been commuting to Delhi for many days. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also met CM Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru. Meanwhile, DK Shivakumar has also started talking about a ‘secret deal’.
It is being said that when the Congress government was formed in Karnataka in May 2023, a ‘power sharing deal’ was signed. It was decided that Siddaramaiah would become the Chief Minister for the first two and a half years. After him, Shivkumar will hold the post of CM for the next two and a half years. On November 20, two and a half years of the Congress government have been completed, after which speculations have intensified whether the face of the Chief Minister is going to change in Karnataka?
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Siddaramaiah admitted – there is confusion
Confusion is increasing regarding the Congress government in Karnataka and CM Siddaramaiah has also accepted this. He has put the entire responsibility of clearing this ‘confusion’ of Karnataka on the high command.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge met CM Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru. After this Kharge said that the issue of change of face in Karnataka is not worth discussing in public.
At the same time, Siddaramaiah has asked the high command to end the ‘confusion’. When he was asked about Shivkumar supporting MLAs going to Delhi, he said, ‘Let them go. MLAs have freedom. Let’s see what they think. Ultimately only the high command has to take the decision. We will obey the high command.
When he was asked whether the MLAs had appealed to the high command to end the matter, he said, ‘Whatever the MLAs want to say, let them say it to the high command. Ultimately, the high command has to take a decision to completely end this confusion.
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Which ‘secret deal’ did Shivkumar talk about?
Amidst this entire political tussle, DK Shivkumar has also talked about a ‘secret deal’. He said, ‘I have not asked to be made the Chief Minister. This is a ‘secret deal’ between 5 and 6 of us. I don’t want to say anything publicly on this. I trust my conscience. We should work with our conscience. I do not want to embarrass the party in any way and weaken it. If there is a party, we are there. If there are workers then we are there.
Shivakumar described Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as an ‘asset’ for the party and said that he has completed 7.5 years as the Chief Minister.
When he was asked that Siddaramaiah had also talked about presenting the next budget, Shivakumar said, ‘I am very happy. He has also worked as the leader of the opposition earlier. He has also worked for the party and built it. We all should work together for the 2028 assembly elections and 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
When asked whether there was any deal regarding power sharing after the assembly elections in 2023? On this Shivkumar said, ‘Why should I speak about this? The media itself has written these things.
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Two factions have been formed in the party?
The kind of tussle that is going on between Siddaramaiah and Shivkumar is also indicating that two factions have now formed in the Congress. One group is supporting Siddaramaiah while the other group is claiming that Shivakumar will become the new Chief Minister.
Siddaramaiah’s close advisor Basavaraj Rayareddy said the chief minister will complete his five-year term. It is not ‘easy’ to change them. He said that anyway the decision on leadership would be taken in the legislature party meeting.
Rayareddy also raised questions on this and said why Siddaramaiah should be removed? He asked, ‘Is he corrupt or anti-people?’
On the alleged power sharing deal, Rayareddy said, ‘We are not aware of any decision of the party which says that Siddaramaiah will have to step down after the completion of 2.5 years of the government. Siddaramaiah took oath on 20 May 2023 and the legislature party meeting was held two days before that. There was a contest in which Siddaramaiah got majority and was elected CM.
He said, ‘I had also voted for Siddaramaiah in the legislature party meeting. Then none of us were told that he would be CM only for two and a half years. If we are not told then it means he is CM for five years. Therefore the question of changing the CM does not arise.
Rayareddy claimed that Shivakumar had not staked claim for the post of CM in the legislature party meeting. He blamed some MLAs close to Shivakumar for the leadership confusion in Karnataka. He said, ‘The MLAs say that their leader should become the CM, because he was the one who had given tickets to contest the elections.’
Zameer Ahmed Khan, another minister close to Siddaramaiah, claimed that he will remain in the CM post till 2028 and will be succeeded by Shivakumar.
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MLA said – Shivkumar will become CM 200%
Meanwhile, some Congress MLAs from Karnataka met party leaders in Delhi and demanded to make Shivakumar the CM. It is being told that on Sunday, 6 MLAs supporting Shiv Kumar had met the high command in Delhi. Last week, 10 MLAs also met the high command. However, after this the MLAs say that the high command will take a decision regarding the CM.
HC Balkrishna, MLA from Magadi seat, said, ‘We had gone to talk to the high command to clear the confusion, because the final decision has to be taken by the high command. It is not important who will become the CM. The current situation is harmful for the party. The high command should end it.
Meanwhile, Ramnagar MLA Iqbal Hussain claimed that Shivkumar will soon become the CM. Iqbal Hussain said, ‘200 percent, he will soon become CM. The high command will decide. As our leader Shivkumar said that there is a secret deal between 5-6 leaders regarding power sharing, then only those 5-6 people will decide on it.
Will Rahul Gandhi clear the ‘confusion’?
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge recently visited Bengaluru. On Saturday, Siddaramaiah had a meeting with Kharge in Bengaluru. After this, before leaving for Delhi, Kharge had talked to Shivkumar in the car itself while going to the airport.
It is being told that this meeting lasted for more than an hour. News agency PTI quoted party sources as saying that while Siddaramaiah was insisting on cabinet reshuffle, Shivakumar wanted the party to first decide on changing the leadership.
Now it is believed that soon a meeting may take place between Kharge and Rahul Gandhi regarding the political tussle in Karnataka.
When Kharge was asked about this possible meeting, he said, ‘If there is a meeting, we will discuss. This is not an issue which should be discussed in public.
BJP sitting in opposition has also got an opportunity due to the ongoing political tussle in Congress. Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra said that it should resolve its leadership fight before the assembly session starts next month.
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