Cong high command split over DKS remaining KPCC prez

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Differences have emerged within the Congress central leadership over the continuation of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar as the Karnataka Congress chief.

The development comes on the heels of CM Siddaramaiah loyalist and Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna recently pointing out that Shivakumar was supposed to step aside as Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president after the Lok Sabha polls.

Rajanna and others in the Siddaramaiah camp also advocated for additional Deputy CMs from different communities namely Veerashaiva-Lingayats, Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Muslims. Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar, Home Minister G Parameshwara and some Cabinet colleagues visited New Delhi this past week to meet the Prime Minister and Union Ministers.

Siddaramaiah took the opportunity to meet the Leader of the Opposition (LOP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday evening. Shivakumar on the other hand spoke with All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday morning.

Parameshwara stirs pot

The meetings were followed up by Home Minister G Parameshwara telling mediapersons in Bengaluru on Sunday that Shivakumar may find it difficult to simultaneously handle being a Deputy CM, holding portfolios like Water Resources and Bengaluru Development while being the KPCC president.

Earlier the five KPCC working presidents were replaced with new faces after the former were made Cabinet members. Shivakumar is said to have called Parameshwara over the phone and let him know that Mallikarjun Kharge favours him remaining Karnataka Congress chief.

There is truth to this since the Congress national president believes Shivakumar should remain the KPCC president till the BBMP) and Taluk Panchayat and Zilla Panchayat polls.