Bengaluru: The Karnataka Congress is facing escalating internal conflicts as some MLAs are publicly criticising the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah government, prompting the party high command to dispatch a delegation led by Randeep Singh Surjewala to Bengaluru in an attempt to resolve the situation.
This week, the crisis spiralled as Aland MLA BR Patil accused the Housing Department of being rife with corruption, with bribes being taken to allot houses in his constituency. Raju Kage, an MLA of Kagad, threatened to resign due to lack of administration and the delayed development fund of 25 crores of rupees. The statement has also humiliated the governing party, and it has become a subject of opposition by the BJP and JD(S).
On July 1, Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala will pay a two-day visit to Bengaluru (where he will meet approximately 100 MLAs individually) in an attempt to listen to their grievances. The party will arrange meetings. Deputy CM DK Shivakumar confirmed that he has directly communicated with people, and the party is preparing to restore normalcy. Earlier this week, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar spoke with unhappy MLAs, assuring them that they could address their grievances; however, this effort has not helped ease tensions.
A leadership change has been in vogue. MLA HA Iqbal Hussain, a close associate of Shivakumar, expressed that the Deputy CM could replace Siddaramaiah within a span of two to three months, intensifying the long-standing conflict between the two leaders. Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna hinted at a change that could be considered revolutionary in political affairs since September, further fuelling the debate. Siddaramaiah, however, dismissed the rift, saying, “We can fix it when there are issues.”
Lashing out at the BJP government over corruption and lack of development, Congress MLAs have taken the initiative to a place where the BJP state president, BY Vijayendra, has claimed to state, “Corruption and no developmentāthis is what Congress MLAs are saying.” BJP and JD(S) have tried to demand Siddaramaiah’s resignation, citing the government corruption that was out of control. According to political analyst MN Patil, people are deeply frustrated with the system, and you never hear this kind of talk unless there are at least people in it who feel that way.
The visit of Surjewala is regarded as a litmus test of the Congress’s high command, but it has directed the leaders not to make any press declarations about the change in leadership. As there is talk of a cabinet reshuffle and a new president of the state party, the party is caught in a tightrope situation to appease and subdue discontent and look after its strongest state with a government, Karnataka.