Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Mar 1: A look at some recent developments in the Congress go to suggest that 'original' Congressmen may be ganging up against former chief minister, Siddaramaiah, who is trying to consolidate his image as the next chief ministerial candidate in the Congress. The effort has come at a time when Siddaramaiah is all set to resume his 'Ahinda' meets and project himself as a champion of minorities, Dalits and backward classes.
In addition to planning to organize his 'Ahinda' meets with permission from the top national leadership of the party, Siddaramaiah is being projected as the future chief minister by his close followers including Zameer Ahmed Khan, a former JD(S) leader and staunch follower of Siddaramaiah.
It is said angered by the way Siddaramaiah has been building his image, these 'original' leaders saw that Congress entered into alliance with the JD(S) in the mayoral election at Mysuru City Corporation and it sacrificed the seat of the mayor to the JD(S), against Siddaramaiah's wishes. Furthermore, former Pulakeshinagar MLA Prasannakumar, was admitted into the party against the opinion of Siddaramaiah. It is also being analysed that Tanveer Sait's statements over Mysuru developments were backed by this group.
Siddaramaiah had expressed himself against admitting Prasannakumar into the party. He has said that his inclusion might create problems for current MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy, who also is a former JD(S) legislator. The leaders went against Siddaramaiah's wishes here too.
Reports say that the Congress leaders here have approached the high command to bring pressure on Siddaramaiah not to go ahead with organizing community-wise meetings as per his current plans and to hold meetings only under the banner of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), as otherwise the people get a wrong image of the Congress. It is said that they placed this demand with party leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge, K C Venugopal and A K Antony during their visit to take part in the wedding ceremony of Randeep Singh Surjewala, state Congress in-charge.
Siddaramaiah visited Delhi on Sunday where it is said he gave vent to his disgruntlement about these developments. Venugopal reportedly pacified and assured him that he would talk to D K Shivakumar.
In the meantime, KPCC working president, Ramalinga Reddy, said that the party does not follow the tradition of projecting chief ministerial candidate during the assembly election and that the high command and parliamentary party together decide who should be the CM.