Loyalists of former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah are planning a big bash on his 75th birthday in August, which gains significance in the light of next year's State Legislative Assembly elections.
They are making arrangements for a function in Davangere on August 3, though Mr. Siddaramaiah’s birthday is on August 12. It is planned as a show of strength with leaders of all communities invited. Committees have been formed to make arrangements and invite about five lakh party workers and supporters, said sources in the Congress. The event would also be used to mobilise voters belonging to the minority, backward classes and Dalits (AHINDA) communities.
10 years ago
A decade ago, in 2012, Congress leaders sensing victory in the 2013 Assembly polls, had celebrated Mr. Siddaramaiah's 65th birthday in a big way.
In a context where a few leaders have already quit Congress and many have expressed displeasure on the functioning of the party led by D.K. Shivakumar, Mr. Siddaramaiah is expected to use the birthday platform to send message to the party high command about his popularity and necessity of projecting him as the party's Chief Ministerial candidate ahead of the 2023 polls, sources said. At present, the party is talking of going to polls under a collective leadership.
The event would also drop enough signals to Mr. Shivakumar that sidelining leaders or denying party ticket to those loyal to Mr. Siddaramaiah would cost the party dear.
Party sources said Mr. Siddaramaiah is not keen on contesting next year’s elections if he is not declared as the Chief Ministerial candidate. “Just for the sake of becoming MLA, he will not contest polls,” a source close to the former Chief Minister said.
Pick of constituency
A party functionary indicated that Mr. Siddaramaiah would not contest elections from Badami constituency in Bagalkot district. If the party declared Mr. Siddaramaiah as the CM candidate, he would either contest from Varuna constituency, presently represented by his son Yathindra, or Chamarajpet constituency in Bengaluru, presently represented by B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan.
Mr. Khan is one the trusted lieutenants of Mr. Siddaramaiah, who has been staying away from the party functions allegedly owing to differences with Mr. Shivakumar. MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy, representing Pulakeshinagar reserved constituency, in Bengaluru, too had expressed his dissent on the leadership of Mr. Shivkumar. Former Minister M.R. Seetharam, who was miffed over being denied MLC ticket, held a convention of his supporters last week and criticised the KPCC leadership.
A section of leaders have reportedly also expressed displeasure over the functioning of both Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Shivakumar. Former Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, who headed the KPCC for more than eight years, seems to be sulking and is seen not actively participating in the party's affairs.
As many have questioned the party leadership on selection of candidates for the recently held elections to MLC and Rajya Sabha, the birthday bash will surely be a test of the popularity of Mr. Siddaramaiah.
