BENGALURU: Even as the aftershocks of Monday’s Karnataka cabinet expansion continued to hit the state Congress with several disgruntled MLAs threatening to resign and supporters taking to the streets, former minister KN Rajanna’s “warning” that the Grand Old Party would bite the dust in the 2028 Assembly elections has only rubbed salt in the wounds of the party.
Rajanna, referring to Siddaramaiah’s exit as chief minister, opined that it would be a daunting task for Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to handle the turn of events, making it harder for the party to return to power in 2028.
“Look at the history of Karnataka. Whenever a CM is replaced mid-term, that party has bitten the dust in the subsequent election. This was proven in the past during the leadership changes involving Veerendra Patil, S Bangarappa, and BJP’s BS Yediyurappa,” Rajanna told reporters. “Siddaramaiah, who has said that he will not contest the next polls, itself is a damage (to the party),” Rajanna added.
This comes on a day when Shivakumar issued a stern warning to disgruntled MLAs, threatening to quit. Shivakumar said that if they resign, it will be accepted within a few minutes.
“I have said whatever I have to... resignations keep happening in politics. No one can stop those resigning. If they want the party and their future, the party is important. If there is a party, there is everything else,” the CM said.
“Those who want to resign can go ahead and resign- that is the CM’s style,” chided former minister and Chintamani MLA MC Sudhakar. Sudhakar appeared to draw a parallel between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, questioning how the party intended to break the deadlock.
He said there was little room left to accommodate MLAs from those districts, leaving the leadership with no clear way to ensure their representation. Sudhakar said that besides the Congress ticket, efforts and charisma of the individual candidates helped them in the polls.
Going a step further, Bangarapet MLA SN Narayanaswamy said that Siddaramaiah, too, let them down. “May be in order to safeguard the political future of his son Dr Yathidra, Siddaramaiah might have backed the candidature of Malavalli MLA PM Narendraswamy(inducted into the cabinet in the expansion),” Narayanaswamy said, adding that even AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge was helpless as the top brass treated MLAs from the districts of Kolar and Chikkaballapur as “untouchables”.
He further said that Food and Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa, who won twice from the Kolar Lok Sabha seat and became a Union minister, let down the district. Narayanaswamy alleged that Muniyappa is keen on his daughter and KGF MLA Roopkala’s political future. “It is difficult to remain in the party,” he added.
Informed sources said that Siddaramaiah was against the inclusion of Chikkamagaluru MLC K V Gayathri Shanthegowda, also a Kuruba leader, as she would have become the floor leader in the Council given her seniority. “He wants his son Dr Yathindra to get that post,” a party insider said.
Meanwhile, KPCC president BK Hariprasad had to face the heat of the supporters of former ministers Dinesh Gundu Rao, Tanveer Sait and M Krishnappa at the KPCC office. Following instructions from the high command, Hariprasad held talks with them.
Meanwhile, the Congress high command, particularly AICC general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, has begun reaching out to disgruntled legislators to pacify them.
The dissidents are reportedly being offered nominations to key boards and corporations as a conciliatory measure.
The high command has also spoken to Shivakumar, asking him to help defuse the growing dissent. At the same time, the leadership is understood to have conveyed that if the disgruntled MLAs remain adamant despite these efforts, they may be allowed to go ahead with their decision of resigning.
According to sources, Surjewala, who has stepped in to contain the damage, has been reaching out to disgruntled MLAs both in person and over the phone. On Monday evening, he personally met Indi MLA Yashwantraya Gouda Patil, who had submitted his resignation, and attempted to persuade him to withdraw it.
Some of the MLAs, including SR Srinivas, who is also KSRTC chairman, have made up their mind to resign from their respective boards and corporations.
Meanwhile, the outrage against the state leadership and the top brass is spreading like wildfire, with the supporters of MLAs Abbayya Prasad in Hubballi and 22 councillors in Gadag, who are supporters of former minister H K Patil, having resigned en masse.
Political analysts believe the growing discontent among MLAs, coupled with their waning faith in the party leadership and the absence of anyone to lead them, could trigger large-scale defections. They opine that a few legislators from North Karnataka may move towards the BJP, while those in South Karnataka could look at joining the JDS. Many MLAs are seeking to secure their political future, much like senior leaders who are perceived to be safeguarding their own interests and those of their children, they added.
Meanwhile, first-time MLA from Mudigere, Nayana Jawhar, daughter of former minister C Motamma, expressed shock over the Congress high command not appointing a woman minister. “The high command should introspect... the party would be in trouble (if it does not groom women leadership) if the 33% reservation for women is implemented ahead of the next Assembly and Lok Sabha elections,” she said.
Another first-time MLA from Madikeri, Mantar Gowda, is also reportedly upset after being denied a cabinet berth. His father A Manju is Arakalagud MLA from JDS.