BENGALURU: With the Congress high command trying hard to ensure a smooth change of guard, which may happen sooner or later, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is moving pawns to protect himself from his adversaries.
The state could see a major change if the Karnataka High Court’s decision on August 29 goes against Siddaramaiah, sources said. He is now garnering support from backward classes and SC/ST communities. On Sunday, a group of seers, led by Kuruba community’s Sri Niranjananandapuri Swamiji, met him and expressed their solidarity with him.
Political observers pointed out that former CM BS Yediyurappa, who had to relinquish his post, too was in a similar situation and had been backed by religious leaders. “But the Congress high command, unlike the BJP top leadership, may not bring down Siddaramaiah suddenly, but ensure a smooth transfer of power, if it is required,” said a Congress leader.
On Tuesday, members of the Shoshita Samudayagala Okkuta (forum for the downtrodden) are planning a big protest at Freedom Park before a march to Raj Bhavan. “It will be like another Siddaramotsava event, which was held ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections in Davanagere. We will throw our weight behind Siddaramaiah again,” said Okkuta leader Ramachandrappa.
“There are no differences within Congress and no leaders have thrown their hats into the ring to become CM as the post is not vacant,” said Social Welfare Ninister HC Mahadevappa on Sunday.
Siddaramaiah’s staunch supporters allege that Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s sanction to prosecute the CM is illegal and politically motivated. They feel that Siddaramaiah should not resign even if the HC order goes against him and an FIR is filed to probe the MUDA case.
But the Congress high command is open to all options, including helping Siddaramaiah move the Supreme Court or asking him to quit, sources said. It has advised Siddaramaiah not to take any decision that could adversely impact the party, they added.
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge told Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, who met them on Friday in New Delhi, that protests should be held across the state against the governor. It is said that the high command is moving cautiously as the Assembly polls for Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana have been announced, while Maharashtra and Jharkhand are next in line. The party does not want to dislodge its CM, but wants to harp on the point that BJP is trying to bring down a democratically elected government in Karnataka.
