‘First focus on Assembly polls, CM post comes later’

Kharge, a seasoned Cong leader, is aware of the rat race between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: Having seen and experienced how Congress leaders have missed chances to form the government despite a favourable situation only because of their fight for the chief minister’s post, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge has advised them against it.

In the past, there was a split in the party and defection of MLAs in large numbers to another party, resulting in missing of the opportunity to come to power. Even dedicated and loyal soldiers of the grand old party took on the once-strong high command when their names were not considered for the CM’s gaddi.

While political heavyweights like former CM D Devaraja Urs and S Bangarappa quit the party and launched regional parties, albeit for a short period of time, many jumped ship for better prospects. Recently, newly-elected AICC President and war horse of the Congress, Mallikarjun Kharge advised the state Congress leaders, particularly KPCC President DK Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah, not to hurry to become the CM as the party high command will take a right decision at right time.

Kharge, a seasoned Congress leader, is very much aware of the rat race between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the CM’s post, so asked them to first focus on the crucial 2023 Assembly elections as they must get a sufficient number of seats to form the government on their own. In the past, they fought on the issue of who will be the next CM and lost the election.

“I know there are a lot of contenders for the post but first they must put up a united fight to win the elections just like the BJP leaders, who have started working out strategies to retain power in the state. They will take advantage of our infighting to tell the voters not to vote for the Congress as the fight has already started over the next CM. When the situation is conducive for our party, we must not miss the bus,” he told them.

Projection as CM

This warning or advice has come at the right time as Siddaramaiah has already projected himself as the next CM and is promising to dole out new schemes to the people, besides increasing the monthly quota of rice under the ‘Anna Bhagya’ scheme from the present 5 kg per person to 10 kg every month.

His tone, tenor and body language give the feeling that the Congress has already come to power under the leadership of ‘Chief Minister’ Siddaramaiah. The opposition leader has built a coterie around himself whose job is to project him as the next CM and arrange party workers to raise slogans in his favour.

Siddu followers to be denied tickets?

On the other hand, Shivakumar is learnt to have hatched a plot to deny tickets to followers of Siddaramaiah in order to trim his fan following. In the name of calling applications from ticket aspirants, the party has invited trouble by way of dissidence in district units. In case the rebels enter the fray, it would not only divide votes but also prove advantageous to the lotus party.

In case of a fractured verdict, and suppose the Janata Dal (Secular) manages to secure 20-25 seats, HD Kumaraswamy may offer support to the Congress, provided Shivakumar is made the CM as he “hates” Siddaramaiah to the core.

Since Kumaraswamy and Shivakumar belong to the Vokkaliga community, their chemistry could work well in the state’s governance. Kumaraswamy would not support Siddaramaiah’s candidature for the CM post at any cost.

‘Don’t get into rat race’

Having understood all of this, Kharge’s main agenda was to make all state leaders put up a united fight and cross the magical number of 113 seats, so that the issue of CM can be handled by the Gandhi family.

But the question here is will both Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah listen to Kharge because the two are in a hurry to snatch the baton from BJP CM Basavaraj Bommai. If both of them get into the rat race, the electorate may give a verdict that may well shock the grand old party of the country