BENGALURU: Amid speculation over the change in leadership in Karnataka after the results of the elections to the five state assemblies and bypolls to Bagalkot and Davanagere South are declared on May 4, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his close confidants, including ministers, held a closed-door meeting at a private apartment belonging to Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh in Bengaluru’s Cunningham Road on Wednesday evening.
According to informed sources, they chalked out a plan to counter Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, who is most likely to stake claim for the CM post, as the Congress government in Karnataka is set to complete three years in office on May 21.
Siddaramaiah’s close aide and Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi, Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara, Social Welfare Minister Dr HC Mahadevappa, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, Housing Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, former minister KN Rajanna, and former MLC M C Venugopal were present at the meeting that lasted for nearly three hours.
The leaders threw their weight behind Siddaramaiah to continue in the top post by reshuffling his cabinet after getting the Congress high command’s nod and also insisted that he safeguard their interests too.
On disciplinary action against MLCs — K Abdul Jabbar, suspended from the Congress, and Naseer Ahmed, removed as CM’s political secretary, they urged Siddaramaiah to intervene as it is being interpreted as a setback to him and an upper hand to Shivakumar. But Siddaramaiah maintained that Shivakumar had no role in the decision as it was based on a report prepared by AICC secretary Abhishek Dutt.
According to sources, they also discussed the issue of appointing a new KPCC president, with Satish being a strong contender.
Siddaramaiah clarified to his supporters that only if LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi asks him to step down he will do so. “Dr Parameshwara is identified with the Siddaramaiah camp, and his name would be floated for the CM post under the Dalit quota. The CM has put the onus on Dr Parameshwara and Dr HC Mahadevappa to convince AICC president Mallikarjuna Kharge, who is reportedly in favour of Shivakumar as CM and his son Priyank Kharge as DCM, if the high command approves it,” a party insider said.
Meanwhile, the leaders also chalked out a blueprint of actions to be taken after the May 4 results. They decided to send Rajanna and his sympathisers to Delhi on May 5 to meet high command leaders to urge that he should be reinstated in the cabinet. Later, the Chief Minister, along with Satish and Dr Parameshwara, is likely to visit Delhi after May 10, the source informed.
“If the high command plans to make Shivakumar the CM, at least for the last one year, Siddaramaiah would press for the KPCC president post for Satish Jarkiholi,” sources added.
“After the May 4 election results, issues such as the long-pending cabinet reshuffle and replacing KPCC chief will be taken up for discussion,” Satish told reporters on Thursday. He indirectly clarified that he is ready to take the AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes, and Dalits) mantle from Siddararamaiah, claiming that he has been with the AHINDA movement since the first rally held in Hubballi in July 24, 2005.
Met high command leaders, but will not disclose information, says DK Shivakumar
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who flew to New Delhi on Thursday evening, said that he met Congress high command leaders. “I have met them. But I will not say who all I met. I did not come to Delhi to get some fresh air,” Shivakumar said. “I campaigned in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Assam. I have to inform my leaders about what is happening there.
The party had given me the responsibility of campaigning in these three states. It is my duty as Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president and Deputy Chief Minister to conduct elections in Karnataka. I will do that,” Shivakumar told reporters in the national capital.
When asked if he would discuss the issue of change in leadership in Karnataka with the high command leaders, Shivakumar said, “Can I, in a responsible position, discuss this issue in front of the media? I will not speak in front of the media.
You should not even try to get information from me on this topic.” On CM Siddaramaiah and his associates meeting in Bengaluru, the Deputy Chief Minister said, “I have no information about this. I don’t know who is close to who and who is not. I don’t bother about these meetings.”