Things seem to be falling in place for embattled Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Political developments in the last few days put the leadership issue on the back burner, while the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allocation case appears to have come full circle.
With Congress’s all-out campaign against the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission-(Gramin) Act (VB-G RAM G Act) and other exigent developments, necessitating Congress top leadership’s undivided attention, the leadership issue seems to be subdued.
A series of developments on governance and political fronts, including the party’s fight against the new Act, upcoming state budget, assembly elections in neighbouring Kerala, Tamil Nadu and other states, and local body polls in Karnataka, would hardly give scope for effecting any major changes in the government or the party, unless Congress is prepared to play a high-risk game.
And that is quite unlikely, given the significance of the upcoming assembly elections in four states and the Union territory of Puducherry for the party that is struggling to retain its ground in many states, and the central role the Karnataka Congress plays in the party’s national politics.
Amid the constantly evolving political developments, the relief in the MUDA case has bolstered Siddaramaiah’s position within the government and the party. His image had taken a dent after the Governor granted permission to Snehamayi Krishna, a Mysuru-based social activist, to initiate prosecution against him. Although the government took the Lok Bhavan (Raj Bhavan) head on, the Governor’s decision was upheld by the High Court.
The CM’s wife returned 14 sites allotted to her by the MUDA in a posh locality in Mysuru. While the opposition had termed it as an admission of guilt and even took out a padayatra from Bengaluru to Mysuru, the Congress had claimed that it was an attempt to tarnish Siddaramaiah’s image.
Eventually, Lokayukta Police, which investigated the case, gave a clean chit to the CM and his family, and earlier this week, a Special Court for the trial of criminal cases against sitting and former MPs/MLAs, accepted its ‘B Report’ or Closure Report.
While the petitioner may pursue the legal battle, the CM’s supporters feel justice has been done. For now, it is a major relief, especially given the timing, as Siddaramaiah recently surpassed former CM Devaraj Urs’ record of being the longest-serving Karnataka Chief Minister and is now looking to better his own record by presenting the 17th budget. In 2023, by presenting his 14th budget, the Congress leader had surpassed former CM Ramakrishna Hegde’s record of presenting 13 state budgets.
Records aside, the preparation for the next budget has already started, and it will gather pace after the Union Budget is presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday, and after the ongoing legislature session concludes on February 4. The State Government has placed several demands before the 16th Finance Commission and the Union Government and called for corrective fiscal measures.
The state government has also urged the Centre to reconsider the VB-G RAM G scheme design, restore the demand-driven employment scheme and provide adequate uncapped funding, as the new cost-sharing method would increase the burden on the state government. While all eyes will be on the Sunday’s Union budget announcements, the Congress government has extended the legislature session till February 4 to discuss the new Act in detail and it could pass a resolution urging the Centre to repeal it and restore MGNREGA. The debate is expected to be acrimonious.
The political fight would stretch well beyond the discussions in the assembly, as Congress and the BJP-JDS are planning a series of campaigns. The party under Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress president DK Shivakumar’s leadership would take up the campaign against the new Act, and the CM would focus on budget preparation and effectively using it to further consolidate his position within the government and the party.
Siddaramaiah may have got relief in the MUDA case, but his government continues to face serious allegations over corruption, including an alleged multi-crore scam in the Excise department in issuing new permits and licences.
Opposition is demanding minister R B Timmapur’s resignation and a CBI probe. Also, Home Minister G Parameshwara expressing helplessness in curbing illegal sand mining has put the government in a spot, and Karnataka High Court has taken a serious note of it.
Siddaramaiah may have had the last laugh, but his government still needs to put its act together.