Proxy war between Siddu, Shivakumar camps in open

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Public statements by Congress leaders have once again laid bare the infighting between the supporters of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar.

The row began in earnest on September 9 when party MLC BK Hariprasad held a meeting of Backward Classes (BCs) at Palace Grounds in Bengaluru demanding better representation for smaller BC communities, claiming they were getting marginalized in the Congress.

Without naming Siddaramaiah, he launched a tirade against the CM, claiming that the former was a fake socialist who wore a Hublot Watch and panche (dhoti) and khaki shorts underneath.

He was referring to the RSS’ uniform and Siddaramaiah accepting a diamond encrusted wrist watch as a gift but after an uproar, returned it to the Speaker back in 2016.

Siddaramaiah responded by approaching the high command, asking them to take action against Hariprasad. The All India Congress Committee (AICC) on September 12 issued a letter to the MLC, asking him to explain his behaviour.

The move was seen as an attempt by Hariprasad to challenge the CM as a mass BC leader. The former comes from Ediga caste while Siddaramaiah is a Kuruba. Notably, Hariprasad is in Shivakumar’s camp and has been miffed because he didn’t land a Cabinet berth.

Back in July, at a function organised by fellow Edigas, and associated castes like Billavas and Deevaras, Hariprasad had made similar comments about OBCs and had used strong language, not realizing that he was being recorded on a mobile phone.

On September 3, he once again threatened to take his struggle to the streets.

Deputy CM row

The row escalated on September 15 when Co-operation Minister KN Rajanna suggested that he would lobby with the high command for three more Deputy CMs, one from Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST) categories, one from a minority community and another from among the Veerashaiva-Lingayats.

Rajanna is a Siddaramaiah loyalist. Back in May, Shivakumar had put a condition before the high command that he be made the solitary Deputy CM and they had accepted.

The demand for more deputy CMs is seen as an attempt to undermine the Karnataka Congress chief. Following this, Congress MLA from Yelburga Basavaraja Rayareddy on Saturday chipped in and said that there should be five more Deputy CMs.

However, he conceded that since Shivakumar helped the party win the state as the Karnataka Congress chief, he can be the principal Deputy CM. Rayareddy, a former minister, who is also in the Siddaramaaiah camp, has been disgruntled because he missed out on a ministry.

Siddaramaiah and co averse to power sharing

Back in May, Industries Minister MB Patil, also a Siddaramaiah loyalist, had said that the CM would see out his full five-year term.

In April, another Siddaramaiah loyalist HC Mahadevappa, the Social Welfare Minister, said that the CM would continue in his post for five years.

The public statements elicited sharp reactions from Shivakumar’s brother and Bengaluru Rural MP DK Suresh. The Congress central leadership has reportedly agreed to make Shivakumar the CM for the second half of the term.