Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar often quotes Sanskrit verses with ease to put his political point across and respond to his critics. That, perhaps, was his intent when he recited the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) anthem ‘Namaste Sada Vatsale’... His attempt to bowl a political googly at the BJP leaders during a debate in the state legislative assembly boomeranged.
He came under fire from his own party colleagues and ended up apologising for it.
A quick apology from Shivakumar to “all Congressmen and I.N.D.I.A alliance leaders”, coming just a few days after former Minister KN Rajanna faced the axe for expressing scepticism about Congress’ campaign against alleged electoral irregularities, points to changing dynamics in Congress. Rajanna had not even questioned the party’s campaign. All that he had stated was that Congress was in power in the state when electoral rolls for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls were prepared, and they should have been vigilant. But that was enough for the high command to act against him, especially given his penchant for controversies.
The party’s high command appears to be sending a clear message to its leaders and cadres to adhere to what Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, says, or face action.
While the developments signal party central leaders’ increasing assertiveness and close watch on the developments in Karnataka, they also reveal the delicate balance of power within the state Congress and factionalism.
Interestingly, Shivakumar expressed regret for singing the RSS anthem after returning from Bihar, where he joined Rahul Gandhi and other I.N.D.I.A bloc leaders in their campaign against what they term “vote chori”. While Shivakumar admitted that I.N.D.I.A bloc leaders spoke to him about the developments, he claimed that none from the Congress central leadership broached the topic with him.
However, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge’s remarks that Shivakumar should not have sung it (RSS anthem) and it is a closed chapter now indicated that the high command had not taken the development lightly.
A section of senior Congress leaders in the state escalated the issue, putting Shivakumar in a tight spot. Senior leader and MLC BK Hariprasad, PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi and KN Rajanna openly disapproved of Shivakumar’s act. While Jarkiholi spoke of bringing sensitive developments in the state to the notice of the high command, Hariprasad was more scathing in his attack.
It provided an opportunity for Shivakumar’s detractors within the party to question his political ideology. On his part, Shivakumar painstakingly explained his loyalty to the party and, more importantly, the Gandhi family.
The development may have landed Shivakumar in an avoidable controversy, but the high command or the party cadre in general is unlikely to doubt his loyalty to the party or the Gandhi family. He has been a staunch Congressman since his college days and played a vital role in turning around the party’s sagging fortunes in Karnataka, which gave a big boost to its prospects at the national level.
Given the kind of value he brings to the party, the high command could have prodded him to put an end to the issue to avoid possible embarrassment that Rahul Gandhi may have to face when he campaigns with I.N.D.I.A bloc alliance partners.
While the Congress high command may not doubt Shivakumar’s loyalty to the party, it still needs to reassure the alliance partners.
Congress often portrays its ‘Karnataka Model’ in other states, and it cannot afford to lose what it perceives to be an advantage due to remarks that strike at the very core of the party’s ideology.
Perhaps that was underlined when Shivakumar mentioned I.N.D.I.A bloc leaders in his apology.
While the high command called it a closed chapter, it remains to be seen if his detractors will use it against him in the future. When the power balance is delicate, each side waits to make the most of the other’s folly. It reveals the underlying tensions beneath the party’s carefully maintained all-is-well image. It’s a dynamic, complicated, and evolving situation.
