The former Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, remains in the limelight of Karnataka politics and will continue to be so despite the attempts of the Congress high command to put down any dissent within the party here. It is all because a majority of the legislators of the Congress are with the former CM, and more than anything, they are all disenchanted with the present understanding with the Janata Dal (Secular) on one hand, and are more than happy with the leadership provided by Mr. Siddaramaiah over the past five years.
This, however, does not mean that there is any threat to the chief ministership of H.D. Kumaraswamy given the fact that the coalition government has the approval of the president of the All-India Congress Committee, Rahul Gandhi. Both Mr. Rahul Gandhi and his mother and former AICC president Sonia Gandhi, not merely attended the swearing-in ceremony of the Chief Minister, but have also ceded the post of the head of the government to the JD(S). It is another matter that the Congress leaders have repeatedly stated that the present government will have its full run of five years although in reality such commitments can change, particularly with the general elections due next year.
The recent statement of Mr. Siddaramaiah that he is on the road to be the Chief Minister again has stirred a hornets’ nest, but it has little meaning in the present context since he has enjoyed his round as a Chief Minister and thereafter in the recently held Legislative Assembly elections, he failed to prove his popularity. The Congress had given him adequate scope and for Mr. Siddaramaiah, who had years ago stated that he would like to retire from politics, the new desire to get to the Chief Minister’s chair will have no takers nor is there a possibility.
The present political statements by the leaders of the Congress obviously has a bearing on the expansion of the ministry, with Mr. Siddaramaiah wanting a major share of the number of Ministers who could be sworn in. Knowing it fully well, the Congress and the JD(S) leadership are not keen on a Cabinet expansion at the present juncture, and are merely looking out for excuses to put off the exercise. Of a total strength of 34 members who can make it to the Council of Ministers in Karnataka, there are seven vacancies at present and six of the positions are in the Congress quota. Incidentally, there are several senior legislators, including H.K. Patil, who was a Minister in several governments, who have been kept out of the ministry and they are all upset with the present dispensation.
The CM was in New Delhi for two days, during the week, purportedly to call on Union Ministers and it was an occasion which enabled him to air his grievances to the Congress high command, which incidentally is well disposed towards him. Added to this, the Bharatiya Janata Party, despite being the largest legislature party in the incumbent Assembly, has no intention to disturb the Congress-JD(S) grouping and has preferred to play a wait and watch game.
On his part, Mr. Siddaramaiah will obviously not work against the directions of the AICC president, and will at best seek to snub the leadership of the JD(S). It is common knowledge that Mr. Siddaramaiah does not have a good rapport either with the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda or with his son, H.D. Kumaraswamy, more so, since they are out to demolish his political clout. In a way, Mr. Siddaramaiah is being given back in the same coin by the father-son duo.
(The writer is Resident Representative, The Hindu Centre for Politics and Public Policy, Bengaluru)