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Journalism of Courage
In January, as the Congress prepared for the Delhi Assembly elections, the party brass called a halt to the simmering factional politics in its Karnataka unit by sending a quiet message to a section of ministers from backward communities allied with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah: refrain from making public comments on party affairs and stop meeting in groups.
The diktat came following a New Year dinner meeting by Congress ministers from the backward communities, including Siddaramaiah, in the absence of Deputy CM and state Congress president D K Shivakumar who is considered to be the CM in waiting after the fight he put up for the post when the party won the state in May 2023. The message from the Congress’s national leadership came on the eve of a meeting of Dalit ministers under the leadership of Home Minister G Parameshwara to discuss a convention for the party’s large Dalit vote base. It was widely seen as placating Shivakumar who viewed the political activities as a threat to his firm hold on the state unit.
However, following the Congress’s rout in Delhi and the resultant weakening of the high command, factional politics in Karnataka Congress has returned to the fore, with a section of ministers once again pressing buttons that are viewed as a challenge to Shivakumar’s sway over the state unit.
Over the last week, several ministers considered to be closely allied with Siddaramaiah have questioned why Shivakumar is continuing as the Karnataka Congress president despite the stated policy of “one man, one post”. With Siddaramaiah himself telling a private news channel that he is considering staying in active politics — despite earlier suggesting that he would retire after the current term in power — many of the CM’s supporters have called for him to continue as CM for the full term.
At least two of the ministers allied with Siddaramaiah travelled to Delhi recently to meet the Congress high command with their demands, including the change of the state unit chief and clearances for holding conventions of the backward groups.
“On May 18, 2023, the AICC (All India Congress Committee) issued a press statement and I have brought this to the notice of the AICC leadership. I have not said anything new. I have sought clarification on whether the KPCC (Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee) president will continue till the next Lok Sabha polls,” Co-operation Minister K N Rajanna said over the weekend after returning from Delhi, which he visited on Friday.
“It was stated that he (Shivakumar) would continue as president till the Lok Sabha elections are over. Now it is almost a year since the 2024 Lok Sabha election concluded. A lot of us are providing feedback to the party leadership. We believe they will decide at the appropriate time,” Rajanna said.
The minister said he was willing to give up his ministership if appointed the KPCC chief. “I agree to the policy of one man one post,” he added.
Other ministers considered to be close to Siddaramaiah also said the high command had been requested to change the party chief and facilitate the holding of a convention of Dalits and the backward castes.
Minister for Public Works Satish Jarkiholi, another close associate of Siddaramaiah who travelled to Delhi last week to meet the party leadership, reportedly sought the same privileges as Shivakumar of being the party chief and a minister at the same time if tasked with helming the state unit.
“We are not for or against anyone. We have expressed our opinion to the party leadership. We are all in the Congress. The change of the Karnataka Congress chief has not yet been discussed. When the situation arises we will see,” Jarkiholi said on Saturday.
Several of these pro-Siddaramaiah ministers now asking for a new party president had earlier sought the appointment of more Deputy CMs along with Shivakumar, a proposal that the leadership is learnt to have vetoed. Their latest demand is widely seen as a continuing effort to resist Shivakumar’s hold over affairs of the party and even parts of the government. It is also seen as an effort to keep Shivakumar from seeking the CM’s post during the current term.
Shivakumar is opposed to several of the core Congress political agenda items such as the tabling of a caste census conducted in 2014 during Siddaramaiah’s previous tenure and the holding of conventions of caste groups.
Siddaramaiah, 77, is in line to have the longest tenure for a CM after Devaraj Urs, whom he seeks to emulate in his politics, if he remains in power for 11 more months. “I wish for him to achieve this mark,” Parameshwara, who is seen as one of the challengers for the top job in the future, said recently.
Siddaramaiah in recent months battled allegations of corruption in land allotments made to his wife by the Mysore Urban Development Authority but has appeared politically more combative after legally dealing with these accusations.
“I have said that even if he retires from electoral politics he must work for the benefit of the party. We need him even if he is not contesting elections. It will help us win elections. There is no doubt about it. We need Siddaramaiah to continue until new leadership emerges in the party,” Jarkiholi said Saturday, echoing other ministers such as Rajanna and M B Patil.
Jarkiholi, however, said following his meetings with the party leadership that he was unaware if Siddaramaiah would complete the full term as CM. “We do not know whether he will continue or change. We have asked about it. I can only say that he is the CM and is providing good administration,” said the minister.
Most of the Congress ministers speaking in favour of Siddaramaiah are known to be the CM’s long-time associates since his Janata Dal days. It is widely believed that the majority of the 135 Congress MLAs are still aligned with the CM at present, thus allowing him to hold off Shivakumar.
Shivakumar has maintained silence in public on the demands for a change in party chief. There are indications, however, that he has sought a Cabinet reshuffle to weed out “non-performing” ministers.
“Shivakumar himself earlier sought to be relieved from the party post but was convinced to continue by the party. His contribution to the organisation cannot be disregarded,” said a senior Congress leader who is not allied with any of the factions.
On Sunday, responding to the statements of the ministers allied with Siddaramaiah, the Deputy CM said, “Siddaramaiah is the leader of our party. There is no question about that. His name should not be misused every day.”
He added, “Siddaramaiah is our leader. We need him for all elections. Zilla Panchayat, Taluk Panchayat, Vidhan Sabha, and Parliament elections. The party has made him the CM twice. Siddaramaiah is doing a good job as CM for the second time. There is no need to create confusion through media statements using his name.”
One of the underlying facts of Congress politics in Karnataka is that Siddaramaiah, considered to be among the last of the mass leaders in the state, will step aside as CM in the middle of the current tenure only if Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, with whom he enjoys a high level of trust, asks him to do so.
