It may be an agonising wait for a couple of days before Karnataka gets a new chief minister, as the two aspirants for the post – Siddaramaiah and KPCC president DK Shivakumar – are digging in their heels, not ready to concede an inch.
Both of them reportedly told the party high command that it is the CM’s post or nothing. In short, no compromise formula. DKS also refused to work under Siddaramaiah and also turned down the power-sharing arrangement.
DKS asks for the chair in a blunt manner
DKS reportedly had a stormy meeting with AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi on Tuesday evening and told him bluntly that Siddaramaiah had been the chief minister in the past and opposition leader. “It is my turn this time. You have not tested me on the CM’s chair. I am ready for the challenge,” he reportedly told Kharge.
“If I do not get the Chief Minister's post, I am ready to work as an ordinary MLA. Ever since Siddaramaiah joined the party, he has always been in power, either as an LOP or as the Chief Minister,” sources quoted him as telling Kharge.
He then lobbed the ball into Kharge's court saying “I don't mind if you become the Chief Minister.” But the AICC chief had earlier refused to take the bait.
He also reportedly told Kharge that Siddarmaiah does not have the backing of the powerful Lingayat community and that he was responsible for the collapse of Congress-JD(S) government in 2019 in Karnataka.
He told the AICC chief that he had been with the Congress since the 1990s and gave everything for the party and had to even go to jail. Siddaramaiah, on the other hand, joined the party in 2006 after he was thrown out from the JD(S).
DKS said Karnataka faces crucial Lok Sabha polls next year and needs a young face.
Sidda claims that most MLAs support him
When pointed out that most MLAs support Siddaramaiah, DKS raised doubts about how numbers could be arrived at when the voting was secret. This prompted Kharge to talk to all the MLAs and seek their opinion once more.
Late in the evening, Siddaramaiah met Kharge and reiterated his claim that most MLAs supported him and that he was known for his administrative skills.
Soon after meeting Kharge, Siddaramaiah drove down to the residence of KC Venugopal, the AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka.
In all this drama, the Gandhi family took a back seat and left the entire matter to Kharge for two reasons: He hails from Karnataka and knows all the players like the back of his hand and, secondly, they did not want to give the impression that there is a high command over and above the AICC chief.
Privately, DKS has said he will do whatever Sonia Gandhi says. “She wanted me to deliver Karnataka and that is what I did. I am a loyalist and willing to go with the party.”
Kharge met Rahul Gandhi and KC Venugopal in a separate meeting
Kharge earlier in the day also held discussion with former party chief Rahul Gandhi, who drove down to his residence. AICC general secretary K C Venugopal also held a separate meeting with Gandhi to discuss the issue of government formation in Karnataka.
FRESH CLAIMANTS: Meanwhile, former deputy CM and senior party leader G Parmeshwara Tuesday sprang a surprise stating that he was ready to take up the responsibility if the party high command asked him to do so.
“If the high command wants, I am ready to take up the responsibility,” the former Deputy Chief Minister told reporters, adding that a Dalit leader should become the chief minister.
He further said that the high command was aware of his service to the party, and he doesn't feel the need to lobby for the post.
“I trusted the party leaders. I can form a group of 50 MLAs. But I don't do that. I have some principles. Discipline is important to me. If the high command gives me the responsibility of CM, I will definitely do it. Also, I have served as the Deputy Chief Minister. The High Command knows everything about me and my work, so I don't want to lobby. That doesn't mean I'm incapable; I'm capable and if given an opportunity will do the job,” Parmeshwara said.
The Lingayat support for Congress' win
Another fresh claim has cropped up from Bengaluru. The All India Veershaiva Mahasabha, which represents the influential Lingayat community, has bid for the top post, citing that 34 of the newly elected Congress MLAs are Lingayats. The swing of the Lingayat vote, once a key support base of the BJP, has been identified as a key factor in the Congress win this time.
In a letter addressed to Kharge, the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha has said that the Congress had fielded 46 candidates from the community and 34 of them won.
“Furthermore, we wish to bring to your kind notice that our community has played a major role in electing other smaller communities in other 50 constituencies. This shows that the traditional voter of the BJP has shifted its loyalty to the Congress party, thereby supporting the Congress party to win 134 constituencies in the state,” the letter adds.
“Considering the above facts, we now urge the Congress party to give a chance/consider a Veerashaiva Lingayat community leader for the post of Chief Minister of Karnataka state,” the letter stated.
According to AICC spokesperson Pawan Khera, a decision on the appointment of the Chief Minister of Karnataka will be taken by tomorrow. Khera told reporters yesterday that the views of the newly-elected MLAs have been elicited and the central leadership is seized of the matter.
“Appointing a Chief Minister is not an easy thing. It cannot be imposed from Delhi... Everybody's view has to be taken into consideration. We have to engage with every stakeholder and then decide who the chief minister will be,” he said. “The process is on. The observers have already been there and met the MLAs. The MLAs have given their opinions. Now, the opinions and all the records have gone to the central leadership. So, in a day or two you will know the answer,” Khera said.
