Bengaluru: The Congress party’s decision to host an event to mark the 75th birthday of Opposition leader Siddaramaiah next month is an attempt at a patch up between the warring factions of Siddaramaiah and state Congress president D.K. Shivakumar.
The Congress, buoyed by an internal survey which predicted a comfortable majority in Karnataka in the upcoming assembly elections, does not want to take any chances that the rivalry between Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah may spoil the chances of attaining power in the state.
Siddaramaiah’s birthday event will be organised on August 3. His supporters were planning to host a grand ceremony on the occasion highlighting his performance, much to the chagrin of the Shivakumar camp. It is an open secret that both the leaders are eyeing the post of chief minister if the Congress comes to power.
The ruling BJP’s former minister K.S. Eshwarappa said that the Congress party in the state is going to split into two immediately after the celebration of Siddaramaiah’s birthday.
He chided Shivakumar that he should have opposed the move to celebrate Siddaramaiah’s birthday. The infighting has already started in the Congress. Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are going to be defeated in the upcoming assembly elections, they are daydreaming of becoming CM, he maintained.
Rumours have started circulating that Siddaramaiah’s associates, who have already given statements that he is the future CM, will use this opportunity to pitch him as the CM candidate. The party high command which sensed trouble in this regard, had decided to celebrate his birthday on the party’s platform, say insiders.
Siddaramaiah talking to media persons on Friday stated that there are no sages in politics. “Are we sages? Are Rahul Gandhi, Shivakumar sages who have given up everything in life? The message is going there and the politics is very much there. My party leaders are only celebrating the birthday.”
Party insiders said that the Shivakumar camp is organizing a massive walkathon to mark the 75th Independence Day celebrations in the state to counter the birthday bash programmes. Commenting on this, D.K. Suresh, Congress MP and younger brother of Shivakumar, stated that there are no differences within the party.
“One lakh people are taking part in the massive walkathon to mark 75th Independence Day. He has done a good job as the CM of Karnataka. He has lived for 75 years. In the present age, living for 75 years is itself a tough job. A shepherd goes on to become the CM and present budgets, what more is required to celebrate, it is a major phase in terms of achievement,” he stated.
Siddaramaiah hails from the Kuruba community and has a pan-Karnataka appeal among all the backward classes and minorities. His stinging remarks about the RSS, the ruling BJP, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has earned him a strong image in state politics.
Shivakumar on the other hand hails from the dominant Vokkaliga community. His loyalty to the party is unquestionable.
He played a key role in installing the JD (S)-Congress coalition government in the recent past which collapsed as major Congress leaders identified themselves with Siddaramaiah and chose to join BJP.
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