In a bid to reclaim its supremacy in Karnataka, the Congress wants JDS to relinquish chief minister’s post and place Siddaramaiah there. The Congress may also ask JDS to give up important portfolios like power ministry as it feels it may do better than the regional party in the state in the Lok Sabha election. However, the BJP is quick to point out that it is a matter of survival for the Congress
Bengaluru: Two weeks from now, the political horoscope of India is all set to be decided. Will Prime Minister Narendra Modi get a second chance, or will the electorate decide otherwise? The permutations and combinations are going on. Surely, everything is literally going down the wire.
And down South, in Karnataka, the picture only gets more tantalising. More than anyone else, it is the state Congressmen who feel they have to resurrect themselves, knowing pretty sure that the Congress will fare better than the JD(S).
Sources say that the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah smells a realistic chance of returning as the chief minister, and therefore, approached the Congress president Rahul Gandhi of putting his request forward. But sources add that Rahul has asked him to wait till May 23 to see how things shape up.
That apart, Siddaramaiah also wants men close to him like KJ George and MB Patil to be given better portfolios. Presently, George is the minister for small and medium size industry and Patil is the home minister.
Interestingly, two other Congressmen, considered to be having a lot of clout, might be relegated, owing to their proximity with chief minister HD Kumaraswamy. They are DK Shivakumar, presently minister for water resources and G Parameshwara, the deputy chief minister. It is being speculated that many are not happy with the two as they have openly stated their support for Kumaraswamy. Moreover, there are others who feel it is Parameshwara who played a pivotal role in Muddahanumegowda losing out to former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda.
And then, Congress may ask Kumaraswamy to forego some of the important ministries like power ministry and give them to the Congress. George, sources add, may get Bengaluru Development ministry.
“They want Siddaramaiah to become the chief minister so that they can hold the flock together. They want power immediately. They can’t wait. It is a matter of survival and nothing else. Irrespective of the results on May 23, the demand by the Congress will be put forth,” says Shreenath Sheshadri, a BJP spokesperson.
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