Bengaluru: Just a day before the 2013 Karnataka Assembly election results, this journalist met Siddaramaiah at his house in Bengaluru. A tense Siddaramaiah was discussing post-result strategies with his close aides.
He asked me what I thought of his chances. Trying to be polite and objective, I said, "If the Congress wins, you will be the next chief minister."
With a faint smile Siddaramaiah replied that there was no doubt about Congress' victory as it was expected to win about 120 seats. "But, I don't think they will make me the chief minister because I am not close to the high command in Delhi and also an outsider to the party."
I said, "Precisely for the same reason you will get the top post. Congress high command knows that you can rock the boat because you are an 'outsider' with no party 'loyalty'. Others like Mallikarjun Kharge will keep quiet even if they don't get the CM's chair because they are scared of high command."
He had a broad smile on his face, but said nothing.
Finally, Congress returned to power in Karnataka after nine years and Siddaramaiah become the chief minister.
He realised that being an "outsider" in Congress is much more beneficial to him than trying to become an "insider". In the last three years, he deftly used the "outsider" card to save his chair whenever there was a demand for his ouster. He has cleverly divided the MLAs and his ministers into two unofficial groups -- original Congress and outsiders. He makes sure that these two groups keep fighting with each other.
After three years in office, local media is busy speculating about Siddaramaiah. Top Karnataka Congress leaders including SM Krishna, BK Hariprasad, M Mallikarjuna Kharge, B Janardhana Poojary and others have openly expressed dissatisfaction over his leadership. They claim that if the high command won't change the chief minister, the party is doomed in the 2018 Assembly elections.
They also point out that an upper caste mobilisation is taking place under the new BJP state chief BS Yeddyurappa and Vokkaligas are rallying behind the Gowdas.
The 85-year-old Krishna has made several trips to New Delhi to convince the high command to change the CM. "It is true that not everybody is happy with the government. We are all disciplined soldiers of the Congress. We express our views in party forums, not before the media," he told News18.
Kharge, known for his political shrewdness, refused to comment but added that the "chief minister's post is not vacant".
According to Siddaramaiah's close aides, he sees no threat to his chair. He believes that a weak high command cannot remove him even if it wants to.
"There is no demand for my removal. It's all media speculation. I will complete the full-term and will lead the party in the next election."
He also added that some ministers may be dropped and some new faces included in the next two-three weeks. Commenting on Yeddyurappa's predictions that Siddaramaiah would be the last Congress chief minister of Karnataka, he said, "Yeddyurappa himself is highly corrupt. He is the only Karnataka chief minister who went to jail. He has no chance. He is just day dreaming".
Still an "outsider" Siddaramaiah looks comfortable in the saddle. But original Congress leaders look worried and tense about their and party's future as Karnataka in the only big state ruled by the party.
Comments
0 comment