‘Crisis-torn’ Congress to hold series of meetings today, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah convenes CLP
BENGALURU: As ruling Congress is facing a fresh crisis over leadership with the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah camp – read ministers – holding dinner meetings, the Grand Old Party’s rank and file will gather at three levels on Monday, including the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) which the CM has convened.
Though it is said the CLP will discuss the party’s Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhana conference slated to be held in Belagavi on January 21, other more political issues of leadership and grievances of MLAs, including certain ministers ignoring them, will likely be raised. It will be interesting to see what will the Siddaramaiah camp bring up at these meetings.
It is likely that Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara, Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna and others from the Siddaramaiah camp may continue to push their demand for holding the SC/ST legislators’ meeting which was postponed following instructions from AICC General Secretary, Karnataka in-charge, Randeep Singh Surjewala. Surjewala will take part in all the meetings.
The CM’s camp has grown closer and is trying to consolidate itself after coming to know that Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC president DK Shivakumar was behind getting the meeting postponed.
They are likely to convince Surjewala on the premise that the party came to power with a promise of welfare programmes for SC/STs and classification of SC quota ahead of the 2023 Assembly polls.
“They are planning to hold the SC/ST MLAs’ meeting excluding the KPCC president,” a source said.
Earlier in the morning on Monday, the KPCC general body meeting will be held at which the party’s officer-bearers including District Congress Committee presidents will take part. That will be followed by the executive committee meeting at the party office.
Appointments of party workers to boards and corporations and party organisation will also be likely discussed, sources said.
Let DKS snatch CM post, says Ashoka
Opposition BJP has kept a close eye on the developments within Congress, which is facing a crisis with some ministers wishing that Siddaramaiah continues as CM, while others rooting for Shivakumar to succeed him immediately.
Leader of opposition R Ashoka on Sunday observed that the Siddaramaiah camp has posed a challenge to Shivakumar to snatch the post if he can. “Congress has become a divided house.
Shivakumar’s statement that he had overgrown the cabinet berth when SM Krishna was CM has irked Siddaramaiah’s supporters as they feel it implies that he will acquire the CM’s post in future. That is the reason they have posed the challenge,” he said.