Rahul coming to avert ‘ clash of titans’ in state Cong ahead of 2023 polls?

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Is former AICC president Rahul Gandhi coming to Karnataka to put an end to growing groupism in the Congress Party?

Yes. According to a few Congress leaders, the visit is mainly aimed at getting rid of the prevailing differences of opinion between KPCC President D.K. Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah since both of them are eyeing the CM post after the 2023 Assembly polls.

Before the launch of the Mekedatu Padayatra 2.0, Rahul had summoned as many as 19 leaders to tell them clearly that the event must be party-centric and not individual-centric. Despite his advice, the Mekedatu padayatra from Ramanagar to Bengaluru looked ‘Shivakumar-centric’ which made several leaders give it a miss. In fact, it looked as though both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were trying to hog the limelight rather than highlight the importance of the event.

There seems to be a lack of agreement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar over the controversial hijab row which had started from a college in Udupi and spread throughout the state. Considering the importance of non-Muslim votes, Shivakumar refused to get entangled in the row whereas Siddaramaiah tried to emerge as the champion of the minorities at the instance of a few Muslim leaders. The former CM’s statement equating the hijab row with Hindu women covering their head with saris and the headgear of seers further infuriated the ‘Kanakapura Bande’ who is learnt to have told the high command that the party cannot antagonize Hindu voters if it wants to come back to power in the 2023 Assembly polls.

Leaders said the gap between Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah is reportedly widening and this has divided other leaders too. While one set of leaders owe allegiance to Shivakumar, another group of leaders are strongly behind ‘Huliya’. This has sent out a confusing signal among the rank and file of the party. Of late, Shivakumar declines to comment on any statement of Siddaramaiah and vice-versa. This ‘clash of the titans’ seems to have become a big headache for the Congress since the party stands a bright chance of grabbing power in Karnataka after being whitewashed in other states.

In these circumstances, Delhi leaders do not want to lose the chance to put up a good show in the 2023 Assembly polls and want state leaders to chant the mantra of unity until the crucial Assembly polls next year.

The leaders said a few leaders have complained to the high command about the coterie around Siddaramaiah which reportedly does not allow anyone else to get close to him. This has been taken seriously by Delhi leaders. This was brought to the notice of AICC General Secretary and In-Charge of Karnataka affairs Randeep Singh Surjewala during his recent visit to the state.

Rahul plans to meet all state leaders on April 1 to trash out differences of opinion among top leaders and make them chant the mantra of unity.