Why a New Yr dinner has added to Karnataka Congress intrigue | Political Pulse Information

The conferences of senior ministers belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and OBC communities – who kind the bulwark of the Congress’s assist base in Karnataka with minorities – are seen as efforts to counter the dominance of Shivakumar within the Karnataka Congress and are available at a time when when the deputy CM has been on an ascendancy.

They’re additionally being seen as a reminder to the Congress that leaders who maintain the important thing to the principle assist base of the occasion should not be quick modified whereas placating Shivakumar, who’s but to emerge as a powerful chief in his Vokkaliga group – a dominant caste in southern Karnataka.

For the second time since October 2023, Siddaramaiah, an OBC Kuruba group chief himself, was part of the dinner conferences, indicating his open assist for the grouping. The October 2023 assembly was held on the residence of Dwelling Minister G Parameshwara. The group once more met for the New Yr in January final yr at Jarkiholi’s residence.

Whereas Shivakumar has not been part of any of the conferences of the Siddaramaiah camp, the newest assembly was held whereas he’s away in Turkey for a household vacation.

The newest assembly additionally comes 4 months after Siddaramaiah discovered himself embroiled within the controversy associated to the alleged Mysuru City Improvement Authority (MUDA) rip-off.

Preventing the allegations in courts since August 2024, and returning 14 housing websites allotted to his spouse by the MUDA in 2021, Siddaramaiah has appeared politically combative and sure to withstand any extraneous efforts to depose him from the CM’s put up.

The Congress’s wins within the three Meeting bypolls of November – the place the occasion’s conventional assist base of minorities, backward lessons and SC/ST communities rallied behind the occasion – has additionally supplied Siddaramaiah’s management with a shot within the arm.

The CM nonetheless tried to minimize the importance of the assembly and steered that the leaders met “solely to have meals”. “There isn’t a must assume that the conferences are of political significance,” he mentioned Friday and in addition denied ideas that discussions concerning the change of CM or adjustments within the Cupboard came about.

Transport Minister and senior Congress chief Ramalinga Reddy mentioned the assembly was of “like-minded individuals”. “I used to be not invited and in any case my loyalty is with the beliefs of the Congress occasion,” he mentioned.

Nonetheless, sources mentioned that one of many points mentioned in the course of the assembly was the potential substitute of Shivakumar because the state Congress chief. A number of ministers of the Siddaramaiah camp had been able to take up the mantle however reportedly have sought time, with a few of them suggesting that their ministerial berths should be retained.

The Opposition BJP has attacked the Congress over the assembly. “Shivakumar, it’s time to implement the plan you bragged about that you’ll kick your approach to energy,” the BJP chief of opposition R Ashok mocked on X, referring to the deputy CM’s assertion that his mentor and former Karnataka CM, S M Krisha, who handed away final month, had as soon as informed him that he should use power to realize energy if it remained elusive within the regular course.

In latest months, Shivakumar has steered {that a} energy sharing deal had been labored out by the Congress management between him and Siddaramaiah when the Congress authorities was fashioned in June 2023, a declare that Siddaramaiah has refuted saying “there isn’t a settlement”.

Siddaramaiah who’s now 76 years outdated and seen to be in his final time period as CM, has additionally steered on events that he could be the CM for a full tenure.

Parameshwara, who can be seen as an aspirant for the CM’s put up, has additionally mentioned that any determination on management change shall be taken by the occasion management. “If there was any settlement (between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar) why ought to all of us be there? Allow them to each resolve the whole lot,” Parameshwara had mentioned final month.

One of many most important political undercurrents in Karnataka for the reason that Congress occasion gained a thumping majority within the 2023 Meeting polls has been the rivalry between its two most important leaders Siddaramaiah – who grew to become the CM for the second time – and Shivakumar who was made his deputy.

Shivakumar’s robust push for the CM’s put up quickly after the election victory even because the Congress excessive command most popular to position its bets on the extra in style Siddaramaiah indicated that the brand new Congress authorities would hit pockets of turbulence in the middle of its five-year tenure regardless of successful 135 of the 224 seats within the polls.

Many senior ministers within the state authorities are believed to haven’t taken kindly to Shivakumar’s assertions in 2023 to be made the only deputy CM after he was denied the CM’s put up – at the same time as CM Siddaramaiah pitched for a number of deputies from the caste spectrum which helps the Congress in Karnataka.

For the reason that formation of the Congress authorities Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have overtly conveyed a message of unity and coordination regardless of the obvious political undercurrents over the competition for the CM’s put up. Even because the MUDA allegations gained tempo, Shivakumar had mentioned that he would “stand like a rock” with the CM.