BENGALURU: Given the political discourse turning into chaos between coalition partners JDS and Congress on a daily basis, the Congress seems to be bracing for a showdown and Congress Legislature Party chief Siddaramaiah has become a rallying point. 

The state leadership of the Congress has shown signs of standing up for each other in a rare action not seen over the last one year. This comes a day after JDS state president H Vishwanath launched an attack on Siddaramaiah.

In what could be the first sign of Congress closing its ranks, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara’s uncharacteristic defence of  Siddaramaiah on Monday has come as a surprise to many. 

Parameshwara, who is often touted as Siddaramaiah’s rival within the party, vehemently defended Siddaramaiah after the latter came under severe criticism of  State JDS president H Vishwanath.

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The growing clamour within the Congress for Siddaramaiah to become Chief Minister once again is the reason for the spat between the former and Vishwanath. Parameshwara even preached coalition dharma to the JDS.

“He (Vishwanath) and Siddaramaiah may have personal rivalry but politically, we are in a coalition government and making such statements as the State chief of our ally against the coordination committee chief is not right. Such remarks should not be made in future either from our side or theirs. Such statements won’t help the coalition function healthily,” said Parameshwara.

He added that Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and JDS supremo H D Deve Gowda should take note of such incidents.

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While Vishwanath refused to withdraw his statements, the sharpest retaliation came from Siddaramaiah himself. 

Siddaramaiah openly declared that he was keeping quiet only for the sake of coalition despite JDS leaders taking turns to attack him. 

“The alliance government bound by coalition principles has forced me to remain silent. I refuse to react in detail to Vishwanath’s remarks who is notorious for making such mischievous statements,” Siddaramaiah tweeted.

Attacking JDS leaders in a thread of three tweets,  Siddaramaiah said that he would take up the matter in the next coordination committee meeting.

“First it was G T Devegowda and now Vishwanath. I don’t know who is next. It is best if senior leaders of the JDS pay attention to such remarks against me,” Siddaramaiah added.

Siddaramaiah’s tweets come on the day AICC general secretary K C Venugopal is in Karnataka to supervise the campaign in Kundgol and Chincholi. Congress insiders said that some leaders have even complained to Venugopal over JDS senior leaders’ refusal to rein in their leaders.

If the everyday bickerings between the coalition leaders are any indication of what to expect post-May 23 results, the picture doesn’t look pretty for them. 

Meanwhile, the BJP has chosen to allow the drama to flow its course.

“Vishwanath’s statements are not his alone. Kumaraswamy, through Vishwanath, is conveying all that he wanted to say,” said BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa. Siddaramaiah and Vishwanath’s attack on each other comes on a day Kumaraswamy finally campaigned for the Congress candidate in Kundgol.