Bengaluru: Rahul Gandhi’s instructions to Siddaramaiiah and DK Shivakumar to fight assembly elections 2023 under collective leadership can facilitate fighting fractions in the Karnataka Congress only at a certain level, believing party officials.
In essence, both of them remain divided into questions who should be candidates for the party minister.
“Rahul direction can stop loyal camps to Siddaramaiiah and Shivakumar from showing their opinions publicly, but internally, the dispute will continue.
For Siddarama, this might be the last chance to return as the main minister.
At the same time, for Shivakumar , this is the best opportunity to choose from post.
So, they will continue to do anything to achieve their goals, “said Senior Congressman and former minister.
Rahul called Siddaramaiiah, opposition leader in the Assembly, and Shivakumar, President of the State Congress, to Delhi on Tuesday and asked them to bury the difference and focus on strengthening the party.
“The party’s high command and legislators will receive a call to the main ministerial candidates after the election,” Rahul told them.
After 1999, this was the first time the Karnataka Congress faced such a problem.
Even though the party has a tradition of not announcing CM candidates before the poll, it is widely known in 1999 that SM Krishna will get the top job.
As head of the State Unit, he has managed to lead the Panchajajan Yatra to fill party cadres in front of the vote.
In 2013, almost no doubt about Siddaramaiiah became the main minister.
He got a high command to persuade senior Malikarjun Kharge members to give the way, and the defeat of the State Congress President G Parameshwara subsequently subsided his way.
Diyatra Siddaramaiiah from Bengaluru to Balary against Mining Barons Reddy Brothers before the election also pushed it in front of other Congress members on the popularity chart.
This time, the situation is different.
Siddaramaah faces strong competitors in Shivakumar, which cannot be ruled out.
The fact that Shivakumar is included in the influential vocaliga community and has resources to aim for post cm also making difficult siddaramaiiah tasks.
Plus, Shivakumar enjoys the belief of the Gandhi family after being identified as one of the party’s main crisis managers.
“Recently, some MLA began hitting Siddaramai as a party face.
The speed by which shivakumar gets orders from Delhi for the leaders of the state not airing their views on the topic showing their influence,” said a legislator in the Shivakumar camp.
But the loyal faction to Siddaramakak believes that he is far ahead of popularity and acceptance between the masses.
“People still remember the good governance provided.
There are also sympathy among people over the 2018 results,” said a former MLA.