Siddaramaiah (left) and DK Shivakumar are the two contenders for the job of Karnataka Chief Minister.
New Delhi:
Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will meet Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, amid a tense face-off with state unit chief DK Shivakumar for the top job after the election win over the weekend.
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The suspense over the Karnataka Chief Minister’s post after the Congress’s emphatic victory in the assembly elections entered the fourth day on Wednesday.
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Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge met the two contenders last evening amid efforts towards an agreement. Siddaramaiah, 75, and Mr Shivakumar, 61, have been asked to stay in Delhi.
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In the meeting with Mr Kharge, Mr Shivakumar has made it clear that he would not back down in the standoff with Siddaramaiah who has the support of most MLAs, sources said.
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Siddaramaiah has been in Delhi since Monday, where he met with senior Congress leaders amid speculation that he is the frontrunner in the race for the top post. Asked when there would be an announcement, he said, “Let’s wait and see. I don’t know”.
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Mr Shivakumar has repeatedly stressed that does not envisage a rebellion even if he is deprived of the job. “If the party wants, they can give me the responsibility… Ours is a united house. I don’t want to divide anyone here. Whether they like me or not, I am a responsible man. I will not backstab, and I will not blackmail,” he said.
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The party’s leadership has been briefed on the views of the newly elected MLAs by the team of observers sent to the state. Their decision is certain to affect the party’s prospects in the next year’s general election.
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While Siddaramaiah is seen to be a leader with mass appeal and completed a full term in 2018, Mr Shivakumar is known for his strong organisational capabilities, and is considered resourceful and Congress’ troubleshooter during tough times. Settling for either of the two contenders may lead to alienating the other, as well as their support base – within the party and out.
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In DK Shivakumar’s case, it could mean a large section of the politically crucial Vokkaligas. In the case of Mr Siddaramaiah, it could mean a chunk of MLAs backing him, and the AHINDA platform — an old social combination of minorities, Other Backward Classes, and Dalits, which had voted en masse for the Congress.
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The politically crucial Lingayat community, meanwhile, has staked claim to the Chief Minister’s post. In a letter addressed to Mr Kharge, the Lingayat organisation All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha pointed out that 34 of the 46 Lingayat leaders fielded by the Congress have won.
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Political commentators had seen the quagmire approaching months before the assembly election held last week, which saw the Congress win a clear majority, finishing with 135 seats in the 224-member assembly.
