BENGALURU/MYSURU: Even as Congress leaders tried to refocus their attention on Covid, the leadership issue continued to haunt the party, with supporters of various leaders pitching for their leaders and putting up a show of support.
On Thursday, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah attempted to stem acrimony by issuing a statement, asking party legislators to desist from making any statements of him becoming chief minister. He joins KPCC President D K Shivakumar in distancing himself from the CM’s post, besides a few other leaders.
It comes on the heels of Hebbal MLA Byrathi Suresh stating on Wednesday that “Siddaramaiah is chief minister, not for now but forever”. He, along with MLAs Raghavendra Hitnal, Zameer Ahmed Khan, Bhima Naik, S Ramappa, R Akhanda Srinivas Murthy and J N Ganesh, have rooted for Siddaramaiah as next CM. In this melee, former Deputy CM G Parameshwara also hinted that he is not out of the race, and would speak on the occasion. Parameshwara called on JSS seer Sri Shivarthri Deshikendra Swami and held closed door talks, sparking speculation.
He said that many party workers call him the “future CM”. “I have appealed to them not to do that, and will speak when the time comes,” he said. The debate on who will be the next chief minister is unwarranted, especially as elections are two years away. Party leaders and workers should win a majority, he added. On Thursday, Parameshwara’s supporters were heard chanting that he would become CM. On Wednesday, working president Ramalinga Reddy had embarrassedly tried to distance himself from social media posts by his supporters, saying he would be chief minister.
MLA Priyank M Kharge was also forced to dismiss talk of being the chief ministerial face in the next elections, saying it was “some people’s fantasy” and that elections would be fought under a collective leadership. On rousing support for Siddaramaiah, Kharge said it could be their personal view. “There is a procedure for these things. The Congress Legislative Party will be formed after the 2023 elections. The question of who becomes chief minister arises only after the party gets a majority. The party cannot be the sacrificial lamb,” Kharge said.
Shivakumar had met party leaders Rahul Gandhi and R S Surjewala in New Delhi, and discussed Covid management and the party’s work with Covid victims and their families. Shivakumar is now taking up the undercounting of Covid deaths, and has demanded a death audit. The Karnataka Congress on Thursday launched a statewide outreach campaign to provide relief to those working on the frontlines, but without recognition.
“This campaign will help us disseminate information on Covid and post-Covid care, and identify demands of families. Local leaders will visit households of affected families,” he said. The outreach will cover 1 crore households in Karnataka in 30 days.
Parameshwara lashed out at the BJP for hijacking the vaccination drive, and projecting it “as if the party has manufactured the vaccine and distributed it to the people. We are not against BJP workers paying from their pockets to provide free vaccines, but against taking free publicity...”
KSE ridicules debate on Cong CM talk
Shivamogga: BJP leader and district minister K S Eshwarappa ridiculed Congress leaders’ debate over the next Congress CM’s name as “searching for a black cat in a dark room”. He said the Congress is talking about a CM two years before the next election.
“BJP will again come to power in the next elections. Some Congress leaders say that Siddaramaiah will be the next CM. The post of CM is not anybody’s to give away. People have discarded Congress even in the last bypolls,” he alleged.
On Congress’ allegations about Shivamogga airport in the shape of a lotus, he said, “Lotus is a symbol of development. Lotus symbolically represents Goddess Lakshmi, which is in Indian culture.”