The “mass leader’’ or the “warhorse’’: this is the dilemma before the Congress brass.
With two senior leaders — Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah and Union Labour Minister Mallikarjun M Kharge — in the fray for the chief minister’s post, the party has had no time to celebrate the 121-seat win in the Karnataka state Assembly elections on Wednesday.
Senior leaders are hard at work trying to find a way out, as both contenders are keen on the job and not willing to withdraw from the race.
With an eye on the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the party high command is said to have worked out a formula: favour making Siddaramaiah as the CM for a first term of two-and-a-half years, and then give Kharge the second term. But Kharge is said to be keen on returning to the state right away.
Not willing to “hurt’’ Kharge or invite “trouble’’ if Siddaramaiah is not considered for the post, the AICC is said to be buying time to iron out differences to ensure a unanimous choice.
“It is a tough task for the Congress high command, as Kharge is a loyal party worker and a proven administrator, while Siddaramaiah could upset the applecart by heading a dissident group from day one,’’ a senior leader said.
In case Kharge is considered for the top post, the challenge for the party is: where to accommodate Siddarmaiah. “He has been a deputy CM. It is a different matter whether he agrees to it or not. If he does agree, there will be a parallel power centre. If not, there will be a dissident group,’’ pointed one of the party’s senior Lok Sabha members. Kharge and Siddaramaiah have started mobilising support by calling MLAs and senior leaders.
Kharge is said to be quietly mobilising support of AICC leaders and seeking support of state party leaders to build an alliance comprising Lingayats, Vokkaligas, minorities, some Backward Classes and rivals of Siddaramaiah.
A source said that Kharge spoke to former minister S M Krishna on Wednesday night and sought his support. Kharge was the Home Minister in Krishna’s government and they were Cabinet colleagues in the UPA-II government till the latter resigned in December 2012. Kharge hopes to consolidate the support of Vokkaliga MLAs through Krishna. Reaching out to old pals;
Mallikarjun Kharge is also said to have spoken to KPCC president G Parameshwara, a fellow Dalit leader. Interestingly, Parameshwara, who lost the polls, said he was also in the race for the top post.
Kharge has sought the backing of his “old friends” Kagodu Thimmappa, Lingayat leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa and other leaders form North Karnataka. Kagodu belongs to the Idiga caste, which is the second most powerful among Backward Castes, after Siddaramaiah’s Kurubas. Kharge hopes to split the Backward Caste MLAs through Kagodu. “But whether the veteran leader from Sagar can influence a large number of OBC MLAs is debatable,” a senior leader said.
Kharge’s MLA son Priyank, who is also the Youth Congress vice-president, reportedly called on other newly-elected MLAs seeking their support for Kharge’s candidature. Siddaramaiah too has started calling MLAs, besides holding parleys with his supporters. “I have the support of all 120 MLAs and I am confident of becoming the Chief Minister,” Siddaramaiah told reporters when asked how many supported his candidature for the top post.