The Congress’s resolution on its Karnataka tangle nearly coincided with the Supreme Courtroom judgment backing the amendments to legal guidelines in three states to permit the normal bull-taming sports activities of Jallikattu and Kambala.
After the Congress victory on Might 13, 135 jubilant MLAs handed a one-line decision authorising the Congress president, Mallikarjun Kharge, to determine who will lead the occasion’s authorities in Bengaluru. However the one-liner couldn’t deter the digital “Jallikattu” that ensued between the occasion’s two high Karnataka leaders. Mallikarjun Kharge was maybe the primary occasion chief anyplace on the planet to say that he’ll seek the advice of the “Excessive Command” (learn: Sonia Gandhi and her household).
As Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had withdrawn to the pristine heights of Shimla after their profitable marketing campaign within the southern state, Rahul Gandhi, who was in Delhi, emerged because the digital Excessive Command. Rivals Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar met with him at Sonia Gandhi’s residence, 10 Janpath. It’s to Rahul Gandhi’s credit score that he has pushed to Mallikarjun Kharge’s 10 Rajaji Marg Highway for discussions ever because the veteran was elected Congress chief. He did so this time too.
Rahul Gandhi’s desire for Siddaramaiah was extensively talked about. However the Jallikattu was allowed to linger and Kharge continued confabulating alternatively with the 2 contenders.
G Parameshwara’s identify additionally popped up in media hypothesis. Late on Might 17, Sonia Gandhi is known to have damaged her silence – her phone name to DK Shivakumar is claimed to have accomplished the trick.
Earlier within the day, Randeep Surjewala had instructed the media {that a} resolution was probably in “48 or 72 hours”. The choice was introduced by noon on Might 18. Siddaramaiah carried the day. DK Shivakumar was assured that he might be Deputy Chief Minister and can proceed as Karnataka Congress chief until the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
G Parameshwara was tasked with the job of conveying to Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot the Congress resolution. All’s properly that ends properly. Nonetheless, the ability wrestle which unfolded over 4 days has as soon as once more uncovered chinks within the Congress’s Human Assets (HR) administration.
Karnataka Congress chief BK Hariprasad had instructed the media on Might 14 that previous to MLAs adopting the one-line decision, a secret poll had been performed by central observers like veteran Maharashtra chief Sushil Kumar Shinde. Hariprasad didn’t disclose the small print of the polling however sources point out that 84 of the 135 MLAs favoured Siddaramiah. 34 supported Shivakumar and 17 votes went to Parameshwara. Had these figures been disclosed, even subtly, the free-for-all might have been averted.
In 2018, Rajasthan’s Ashok Gehlot had overwhelming numbers (Sachin Pilot’s revolt might draw solely 21 MLAs). Bhupesh Baghel in Chhattisgarh bested TS Singh Deo. In Madhya Pradesh, the bulk favoured Kamal Nath (he was toppled when Jyotiraditya Scindia walked away along with his band of 23).
The Congress Excessive Command didn’t disclose these revealing numbers in 2018 and the fallout in these three states is well-known. Poor HR administration and lack of transparency could cause lingering uncomfortable side effects. Not like within the days when stalwarts dominated the Congress, at this time the occasion has a good sprinkling of dwarfs who’re tasked with disaster administration. And their efficiency is dismal.
Having defeated the BJP on the “40 p.c sarkara” plank, Congress had little alternative. Even when Shivakumar was to be rewarded for having led a profitable occasion unit, with a pending disproportionate property case (which is developing earlier than Karnataka Excessive Courtroom on Might 23 after the Supreme Courtroom despatched the matter again to Bengaluru earlier this week), naming him Chief Minister would have weakened the very foundation of its victory.
Siddaramaiah, whose moorings have been within the Socialist Get together, joined the Congress from HD Deve Gowda’s Janata Dal (Secular) in 2006, and was appointed Deputy Chief Minister. In 2013, he was elevated as Chief Minister. When he got here to energy, Congress had 36 per cent vote share. In 2018 when Congress misplaced the Karnataka election, the occasion’s votes went as much as 38% (in 2023: 43%).
The rise in Congress votes is attributed to the AHINDA help. (Ahinda is Kannada acronym for Alpasankhyataru or minorities, Hindulidavaru or backward courses, and Dalitaru or Dalits) – a political terminology coined by the Karnataka state’s first backward chief Devraj Urs within the Seventies. Siddaramaiah reinvigorated the Ahinda plank. There have been no allegations towards him when he demitted workplace in 2018. So, Siddaramaiah match the invoice publish the “40 p.c sarkara” marketing campaign.
The video of 76-year-old Siddaramaiah breaking right into a dash with Rahul Gandhi throughout the Bharat Jodo Yatra went viral. Other than probity, his secular credentials additionally helped him win Rahul Gandhi’s help. When the Bajrang Dal controversy was utilized by the BJP to embarrass Congress, Shivakumar tried to outdo the BJP by promising that Anjaneya (Hanuman) temples might be in-built all cities. Siddaramaiah remained silent. After the Congress victory Shivakumar was seen in search of blessings from seers at Tumkur’s Siddaganga Mutt. There was no such present of religiosity from Siddaramaiah.
Shivakumar was seen carrying a bouquet for Rahul Gandhi when he went to 10 Janpath. Siddaramaiah went sans flowers. However the bouquet got here to him.
The undercurrents within the Congress headquarters in Delhi have been attention-grabbing. Kharge appeared to dilly-dally. In 2013, Siddaramaiah was chosen over him to be Chief Minister. In 1999, SM Krishna, and in 2004, Dharam Singh pipped him on the publish. So, Kharge’s attainable reservations about Siddaramaiah could be comprehensible.
However sources say that Kharge instructed Shivakumar earlier than the announcement was lastly made, that he had been denied the publish thrice up to now however his perseverance and loyalty to the occasion paid off.
The composition of the brand new Karnataka ministry might be an uphill process. In the course of the Congress’s energy tussle, it was mentioned that a couple of Deputy Chief Minister might be appointed to accommodate the aspirations of varied communities. Now that Shivakumar would be the “solely” Deputy Chief Minister, conflicting pursuits should be managed.
In the course of the Karnataka marketing campaign, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar labored in tandem. Will that symphony final?
(Shubhabrata Bhattacharya is a retired Editor and a public affairs commentator.)
Disclaimer: These are the non-public opinions of the writer.
