Repeated statements by some Congress leaders against the coalition government’s functioning and they viewing their leader Siddaramaiah as their “Chief Minister” by undermining the importance of Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy could derail any seat-sharing arrangement with the Janata Dal (Secular) for the Lok Sabha elections or get the Congress a “better deal” if the talks go through, sources in the Congress said.
What has triggered a series of comments by the former Chief Minister’s loyalists, including by the former Minister H.C. Mahadevappa on Saturday, is lack of interest among Congress leaders and the party cadre in any seat-sharing arrangement, especially in south Karnataka, sources said.
“Party leaders from the region believe that if the Congress cedes seats to the JD(S), it will only help the latter. In the long run, our party might lose ground in south Karnataka,” Congress sources said.
Not only would the party lose its position to the JD(S), sources believe that a seat-sharing arrangement would allow the BJP to increase its vote share from the region.
“There is no guarantee that a loyal Congress worker would vote for the JD(S). Being disappointed or angry, he/she may turn towards the BJP, which will result in an increased vote share and also base to the saffron party. That is the last thing the Congress wants: to turn its base from a direct fight with the JD(S) to a possible triangular fight in the future,” sources said.
JD(S) demand
Though in a preliminary stage of discussion the JD(S) sought 10 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda later indicated that he was flexible on the seats. “Assuming even if the Congress lets go of eight seats, most of them may have to be in south Karnataka as winnability of seats for the JD(S) is more in the region. Local Congress leaders, however, are averse to this idea,” sources said.
Decision after Feb. 10
Meanwhile, ruling out any rift between the coalition partners, AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka K.C. Venugopal told reporters in Mangaluru on Sunday that seat sharing between the two parties would be finalised after a meeting on February 10.
Brushing aside reports that co-ordination committee chairman Mr. Siddaramaiah was unhappy over Mr. Kumaraswamy’s style of functioning, he said there were no groups in the Congress and all the legislators had full confidence in the JD(S) leader’s governance.
Though Congress leaders in Mandya have sought to pitch actor Sumalatha, wife of actor-politician late M.H. Ambareesh, Mr. Siddaramaiah on Sunday said no discussion had taken place on the matter yet. “Workers are talking about (a Congress) contest (in Mandya). When there has been no discussion (between the two parties) where is the case for a fight?”
“We have not discussed seat sharing with the JD(S) — neither the number of seats nor the constituencies. But overall, both of us want to win 22 seats or more in the State,” he added.
Shadowboxing continues
Shadowboxing between leaders of the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress is continuing unabated, as Higher Education Minister G.T. Deve Gowda on Sunday took a dig at Mr. Siddaramaiah while the latter justified his loyalists for considering him as their “Chief Minister”.
On Sunday, while KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao told reporters in Mangaluru that Congress leaders have been asked not to talk in public anything that would embarrass Mr. Kumaraswamy, Mr. G.T. Deve Gowda, who inaugurated a slew of development works in Chamundeshwari constituency in Mysuru, launched a broadside against Mr. Siddaramaiah, underlining the simmering discontent among leaders of the the coalition partners.
Without alluding to Mr. Siddaramaiah, Mr. G.T. Deve Gowda said, “He has presented the budget 15 times but failed to provide drinking water in Chamundeshwari constituency.” The Minister said he fast-tracked the Undwadi drinking water project after Mr. Kumaraswamy became Chief Minister. “Though he [Mr. Siddaramaiah] was the Chief Minister, the project was not cleared during his tenure,” said Mr. G.T. Deve Gowda while addressing people at Naganahalli Gram Panchayat.
Mr. Siddaramaiah, whose loyalists have been terming him as their “Chief Minister”, embarrassing the coalition government, defended them. “None of us has said Mr. Kumaraswamy is not the Chief Minister. Some have said that Siddaramaiah has to become Chief Minister in future. What is wrong in saying that? It is not for now, but in future.”
Further, he said, “Currently, Mr. Kumaraswamy is the Chief Minister. Is the post vacant now?”
When his reaction was sought to a comment by the former Minister H.C. Mahadevappa, he said, “I was also present there. He [Mr. Mahadevappa] said if I see Siddaramaiah I feel he is our Chief Minister. He was referring to my previous five-year tenure as Chief Minister. None of our partymen will issue statements that will cause any damage to the government.”
On Mr. Kumaraswamy’s reaction to such statements by Congress leaders, Mr. Siddaramaiah said, “We cannot respond to all his statements. I am only saying what has happened in front of me.”
Four MLAs respond to notices
Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Mr. Siddaramaiah on Sunday told reporters that all four Congress legislators who had been served notices following their absence in a CLP meeting had responded and reposed faith in the party.
Ramesh Jharkiholi, Mahesh Kumathalli, Umesh Jadhav, and B. Nagendra had been served notices twice asking them to explain the reason for their absence in the CLP meet held here on January 18. The second notice had been served after they failed to respond to the first one.
“The four legislators will not leave the party. They have informed us that they are in the Congress and loyal to the party. They have informed us that they were unable to attend the CLP meet because of personal reasons. They have reposed faith in the leadership of Rahul Gandhi,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.
Meeting today to decide on action against Ganesh
A three-member panel of the KPCC, headed by Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, will meet on Monday to decide on the disciplinary action to be taken against J.N. Ganesh, Kampli MLA, who is at large following the alleged assault on Vijayanagar MLA B.S. Anand Singh on January 20. “We will take action as recommended by the committee,” Mr. Rao told reporters here on Sunday.
