Amid speculation that he would be accommodated in the Congress central unit for giving support to former All Indian Congress Committee (AICC) president Rahul Gandhi, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he was “not interested in national politics” and would confine himself to Karnataka politics.
He met AICC interim president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on Tuesday and his suggestions were sought on restructuring of the party’s organisation at the central level following criticism from the G-23 group on the functioning of the Congress.
Sources in the party said Ms. Gandhi has been calling top party leaders from all states and seeking suggestions on strengthening the party at the national level.
Mr. Siddaramaiah told reporters in Delhi that he would concentrate on state politics and that he had held discussions with Ms. Gandhi on the byelections to two Assembly seats in Karnataka and on the organisation of the party at the central level.
He also condemned the BJP for the deaths of farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh and the detention of party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and others during her visit to the spot.
This is not first time there have been rumours about Mr. Siddaramaiah’s role in national politics being discussed in the Congress. A few days ago, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai told the Legislative Assembly that there were many in Karnataka Congress who wanted to send Mr. Siddaramaiah to Delhi to play an active role in national politics, while he preferred state politics.
