BENGALURU/NEW DELHI: As the impasse over the selection of the new Karnataka chief minister continued for the fourth day on Wednesday, the Congress high command is said to have given an opportunity to KPCC president DK Shivakumar to “show his strength” as Siddaramaiah, another contender for the top post, has claimed to have more number of MLAs on his side.
AICC General Secretary, Karnataka in-charge, Randeep Singh Surjewala’s statement that the new cabinet would be formed in the next 48-72 hours indicated that the imbroglio had not been resolved yet.
Shivakumar is said to have bought some time for his show of strength as some MLAs are already in New Delhi, while others are expected to reach on Thursday. They may insist that the high command collect the opinion of all the 135 MLAs again by calling another Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting before announcing the new chief minister.
But AICC is unlikely to agree as the team of observers, led by former Maharashtra chief minister Sushilkumar Shinde, has already collected the opinion of MLAs in Bengaluru on May 15 and also submitted a report to AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge. Some MLAs had marked in the ballot that they would leave the decision on the chief minister to the party's high command. Now, these MLAs would support Shivakumar, sources told TNIE. However, sources close to Siddaramaiah said they have nearly 100 legislators in their favour and their leader would be the obvious choice for the top post.
In an important interaction, Shivakumar met senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for nearly one-and-a-half hours but was in no mood to back down from his demand. His next stop was Kharge’s residence and that meeting lasted over two hours.
According to sources, though Shivakumar was offered the deputy CM’s post and six portfolios as a conciliatory effort, the Karnataka strongman stuck to his guns. He also was not agreeable to the idea of splitting the tenure. As per the plan, Siddaramaiah will get the chief minister’s chair for the first two years, and Shivakumar for the next three years.
However, Shivakumar wasn’t willing to accept it, said a leader. Adding to the suspense, Shivakumar also called a meeting of his loyalist MLAs at his brother DK Suresh’s residence, where legislators, including PM Narendra Swamy from Malavalli, Balakrishna of Magadi and N Cheluvarayaswamy from Nagamanagala, were present.
Balakrishna has taken up the task of gathering the support of the Vokkaliga community’s 24 MLAs for Shivakumar.
A day full of twists & turns
But Siddaramaiah appears to be the obvious choice for chief minister’s post as he is backed by Rahul and All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary KC Venugopal, who is a close confidante of Rahul, top sources told The New Indian Express. The high command may also back Siddaramaiah as his experience being a finance minister would help the party roll out the five poll guarantees.
He is also expected to keep the flock together and win big numbers for the party in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The day saw several twists and turns after reports started doing the rounds that the high command had zeroed in on Siddaramaiah for the top post and an announcement would be made in the evening. While supporters of the former chief minister celebrated, Shivakumar’s followers gathered outside Rahul’s residence and held placards demanding that Shivakumar be made the chief minister.
Soon after, Congress Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala clarified that the party had not taken any final decision and urged people not to believe ‘fake news’. “A lot of fake news and speculation is going on. I want to clarify that deliberations have been held by Kharge. I myself accompanied the CLP leader when he met Rahul Gandhi. The two leaders also held talks with the AICC president... The deliberations are currently underway.
Do not pay heed to speculation. No decision has been taken yet,” he said. Shivakumar dismissed reports of Siddaramaiah being selected for the top post. “Don’t go by rumours,” he said, refusing to elaborate on what was conveyed to him by the top leadership. As the talks remained inconclusive, the top leaders asked both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar to stay back in the capital. Kharge is expected to hold more rounds of talks on Thursday to mollify Shivakumar and bring him on board.
He is also likely to talk to former AICC president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul again before taking the final decision. It is said that the party has asked Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi to convince Shivakumar to accept the high command’s decision, whatever it may be. But Shivakumar, who does not want to give up his ambition, raised certain issues against Siddaramaiah during his meeting with Rahul, Kharge, and Surjewala, sources said.
Late on Wednesday night, Siddaramaiah held talks with his sympathiser and AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, who is a close confidante of Rahul Gandhi. The refusal of Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar camps to budge from their positions would affect the party’s prospects in the upcoming polls, including the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, in the state, said political observers.
DKS pushes Kharge’s name
In his bid to stonewall Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar has also pushed the name of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge to the chief minister’s post by playing a Dalit CM card. It is a clear message to the high command that he has no problem if Kharge becomes chief minister. But Kharge has ruled himself out.