BENGALURU: As the demand for three more deputy chief ministers in the Congress government has exposed the rift between the camps of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar, the party high command has intervened to control the damage.
AICC General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal on Saturday issued a statement with a warning to Congress leaders to not raise such issues publicly. It was following Shivakumar’s complaint with the high command, especially to AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, while the warning came from Venugopal, who is seen as a Siddaramaiah sympathiser.
Apparently, it was the Siddaramaiah camp followers, especially Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna, who stirred the hornets’ nest, saying leaders from SC, ST and Veerashaiva-Lingayat communities should be made DyCMs to keep the votes of the communities intact for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. “Rajanna would not have issued such a statement without Siddaramaiah’s consent. He even spoke about leading a delegation to the high command to put forth the demand,” a senior Congress leader said.
But on Sunday, Rajanna, who might have got a message from Venugopal, said he will not raise the issue anymore. “I had expressed my feelings and it is up to the high command to take a decision. I will not propose it again,” he said. The issue had put Shivakumar in an embarrassing position, as he had negotiated with the high command for only one DyCM post. A couple of days ago, he broke his silence on the issue, saying the high command made him DyCM, considering his contribution since 1985.
The high command has intervened as it might have felt the issue would not help the party in the Lok Sabha elections, party sources said. Venugopal said, “We have noted with concern that certain Congress leaders and ministers have also chosen to comment upon these rumours by falling prey to the propaganda of the BJP and other regional outfits. I urge all party leaders to raise party and government-related issues on party forums and not in public glare. Any such remarks go against the interest of the party and the smooth functioning of the government. Such public remarks are unacceptable and unwarranted. Every Congress worker and leader should take note thereof.”