This is not the ideal start that Chief Minister DK Shivakumar or the Congress high command would have expected for the new government sworn into office earlier this week. Less than 24 hours after portfolios were allotted to the new ministers, the government had to grapple with a political crisis that could have far-reaching implications on how it performs and is perceived during its short tenure of less than two years.
The high command leaders – who are making all decisions pertaining to power transition, ministry formation, and portfolio allocation – were caught off guard by the resignation from the cabinet by Ramalinga Reddy, who was unhappy over not being given the Bengaluru Development portfolio. Although the CM and AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala convinced Reddy to continue in the cabinet by assuring him of additional portfolios, the resignation episode came as an initial setback for the government.
It makes two things clear: the party’s central leadership, which ensured a smooth transition of power from Siddaramaiah to Shivakumar, was not fully prepared with its follow-through plan. And if it did have a plan, senior leaders in the state were not consulted or taken into confidence before putting it into action.
It was an avoidable controversy that has landed the party in a no-win situation. Accepting Reddy’s demand would have given the impression that the leadership is weak, and the ministerial aspirants would have started exerting pressure openly instead of plainly lobbying with party leaders. Now, the government has only a partial cabinet with just 14 ministers, including the CM, while the remaining 20 berths are yet to be filled.
Reddy is a gentleman politician who has won Assembly elections from Bengaluru eight times on the trot since 1989. He is no pushover. In his long political career that included serving as a minister with a number of chief ministers – including the two tenures of Siddaramaiah – Reddy handled many key portfolios, including Home, Bengaluru Development, Transport, Education, Food and Civil Supplies, and also served as Minister of State for Finance. He also served as Working President of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). He is the party’s go-to man for all issues related to Bengaluru politics.
Slighting a senior leader of that stature could negatively affect the party, even demoralising the cadre and leaders opposing the total top-down approach within the party. Its effects could be felt in the upcoming elections to the five corporations in the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), assembly, and Lok Sabha polls. Winning the GBA polls, which are scheduled to be held before August-end, is a matter of prestige for the party in power. Even senior leaders in Congress admit that, as things stand, they can at best win one or two out of five city corporations in the state capital. In the 2023 assembly polls, Congress won 12 out of 28 seats in Bengaluru, while the remaining 16 went to the BJP, which won all four Lok Sabha seats in the state capital in the General Elections the following year.
Reddy and a few others like Krishna Byregowda – the latter got the Bengaluru Development portfolio – play a crucial role in retaining the Congress’s base in the state capital. Perhaps, given a chance, Shivakumar would have avoided the controversy and kept his word to allot the Bengaluru Development portfolio to Reddy, who was instead allotted the Major & Medium Irrigation portfolio. But the CM has made it clear that the party seniors took the decision to give the portfolio to Krishna Byregowda.
For now, the party’s senior leaders have tried to control the damage and pacified Reddy by offering additional portfolios, but not Bengaluru Development which he has sought. However, the episode has exposed the fault lines within the party, which former Law Minister HK Patil has termed a “massive wake-up call”.
What is alarming for the party is that not just Reddy, but Food & Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa, too, openly expressed displeasure over the portfolio allotted to him. He was also consoled by senior party leaders, including the CM.
Some Congress leaders may dismiss them as initial hiccups and misunderstandings that have been resolved, but they reflect poorly on the new government’s image. Also, it is unclear if Shivakumar has absolute autonomy to take major decisions and deal with the crisis, or if Siddaramaiah and the high command weigh in too much on the decision-making. Besides, a crisis like this will tend people to compare the leadership of Shivakumar with that of Siddaramaiah on their respective capabilities of ensuring a cohesive government. In such matters, although the decisions are taken by the high command, the blame would be squarely placed on the CM if things went wrong.
Unlike Siddaramaiah, who had a clean slate to work with, the new leadership inherits several governance and political challenges from the previous administration. Expectations are high, but time is short, and if the CM has to deliver, he must get full freedom. Limited functional autonomy to him will do no good to the party or the state.
