Fissures laid bare in Karnataka Congress meeting

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Internal friction came to the fore in the meeting of the office bearers of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).

Held at the KPCC office in Bengaluru on Monday, the meeting being held was a way for Karnataka Congress chief and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar to assert his position in response to him being challenged by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s camp.

Recently, Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna repeated his public demand that additional Deputy CMs be appointed to provide representation to populous communities such as Veerashaiva-Lingayats, Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Muslims.

He also pointed out that Shivakumar was supposed to step down as KPCC president after the Lok Sabha election. Other Siddaramaiah loyalists such as Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed and Social Welfare Minister HC Mahadevappa had supported the demand for additional Deputy CMs.

Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi, also a Siddaramaiah loyalist, had said that he’d be willing to sacrifice his Cabinet status to head the state Congress unit.

These moves are seen as a way to limit Shivakumar’s influence. Siddaramaiah also met Leader of the Opposition (LOP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday. The CM and the AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, an aide of Rahul, believe that an Ahinda – Alpasankhyataru (minorities), Hindulidavaru (Backward Classes) and Dalitaru (Dalits) – leader should be made the Karnataka Congress chief since these communities are the party’s support bases.

On the other hand, Shivakumar had met All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday. Kharge is in favour of retaining Shivakumar because he doesn’t want to antagonize Vokkaligas, the dominant caste the Deputy CM belongs to.

Moreover, Congress is also wary of Lingayats and Vokkaligas consolidating with the BJP. The Siddaramaiah camp wants to use Congress’ failure to retain Vokkaliga support in Old Mysuru in the general elections against Shivakumar. However, Kharge is in agreement with Shivakumar that even the CM’s caste, the Kurubas, didn’t back Congress to the hilt in the Lok Sabha polls.

DKS to stay KPCC chief

Armed with Kharge’s support, Shivakumar declared in the KPCC meeting that he would not be removed as the Karnataka Congress chief. In the meeting attended by 250 office bearers, Shivakumar said that “it’s not possible” to have him removed, indirectly referring to the likes of Rajanna.

He had also warned that those who dared speak about the party’s internal matters in public would be issued notices.

Vinay Kulkarni unhappy with ministers

The other issue that emerged in the meeting is KPCC working president Vinay Kulkarni complaining that ministers in CM Siddaramaiah’s Cabinet mistreated MLAs.

He claimed that when he and other lawmakers visited the chambers of ministers, they were treated disrespectfully. On the same day, he accused Minister for Urban Development and Town Planning Byrathi Suresh, a Siddaramaiah aude, of interfering in the affairs of Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB), of which Kulkarni is the chairman. Vinay even alleged corruption in the board and offered to quit.