Having won the assembly elections is just part of the battle won for the Congress in Karnataka, as the sword of dissension continues to hang over the Siddaramaiah-led government. The Congress high command may have temporarily quelled the internal unrest regarding the selection of the chief minister, but the process of picking ministers for the cabinet clearly requires a tougher strategy and some firm decisions.
Despite efforts to present a successful partnership between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, it is evident to keen observers that all is not well.
“The Congress is functioning like a coalition government between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar," joked a former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister.
KAUN BANEGA MANTRI?
Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are facing mounting pressure from their loyal supporters to finalize the cabinet allocation before the coming weekend. Each of them wants to accommodate their own MLAs, and they seem to disagree on the selection of ministers.
Amid strife, it is learnt that around 22 additional ministers are expected to be sworn in by the end of the week, fuelled by escalating demands for prompt portfolio assignments. With the government preparing to fulfill its five major pledges to the electorate, the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister find themselves compelled to promptly delegate responsibilities to these ministers.
The Congress also finds itself in a unique dilemma, caught in a web of abundance. With 135 elected MLAs and only 34 ministerial berths, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are certainly treading cautiously.
The two are grappling with intensifying pressure from their loyalists, all competing for coveted positions in the cabinet. Prominent members from the Lingayat, Banjara, Muslim and Vokkaliga communities have actively engaged in fervent lobbying efforts, with some even traveling to Delhi to impress upon the Congress national leadership why they should be included in the cabinet.
Balancing caste and regional representation within the cabinet, while also considering seniority and loyalty, poses a formidable challenge for Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.
FRESH FACES VERSUS EXPERIENCED LEADERS
Adding to this predicament is another challenge. A senior Congressman hinted that the high command seems reluctant to include seasoned veterans in the first round of the full-fledged cabinet, as they want to reward a section of MLAs for their efforts in bringing the party to power and also introduce young fresh faces as ministers.
The existing cabinet presently comprises eight ministers, excluding Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. The Congress high command had cleared the names of legislators for the initial round of cabinet posts to accommodate a combination of caste, community and seniority. The list of eight names was meticulously curated, including MLAs who garnered unanimous approval without objections from either faction—Siddu or DKS.
Armed with their respective lists, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar individually embarked on trips to Delhi, with each leader given an opportunity to propose their preferred names and provide justifications for their inclusion in the cabinet. After intense deliberations and heated arguments, both Siddu and Shivakumar were allowed to suggest five names each as their choices for ministers, and the high command will choose another 8 to 10 names.
The probable names for ministerial positions include Byrathi Suresh, Krishna Byre Gowda, Laxman Savadi, BK Hariprasad, Lakshmi Hebbalkar, Saleem Ahmed, Santosh Lad, Tanveer Sait, Dinesh Gundu Rao, HK Patil, Eshwar Khandre, and Dr HC Mahadevappa. However, there is also deliberation that a sizable number of ministers may come from the Lingayat community, which voted in favour of the party and significantly contributed to its success in the Kalyana Karnataka region.
WHAT WILL PEOPLE THINK, ASKS BOMMAI
The delay in cabinet appointments has given the BJP an opportunity to criticize the ruling party, and former CM Basavaraj Bommai promptly expressed his concerns over the delay in portfolio allocation.
Seeking a response from Siddaramaiah, the conversation on the floor of the assembly went as follows:
“I am happy that the Chief Minister has introduced his ministers to the House; they have all worked as Ministers in the past. Congratulations to the Chief Minister and all the Ministers, but it would have been appropriate if the Chief Minister had introduced Ministers after allocating portfolios to them. He could have introduced them by saying – “DK Shivakumar is the Minister for this… G Parameshwara is the Minister for this…" Why has it not happened? It should be done at the earliest. In my opinion, if it is done at the earliest, it will be good," Bommai said.
Amused yet firm, Siddaramaiah quipped that he will allocate responsibilities at the earliest. Not wanting to miss the opportunity to respond, Siddu asked Bommai a question in return.
“How long was BS Yediyurappa alone in the cabinet as the Chief Minister? Mr Former Chief Minister (referring to Bommai), you need not have any doubts about our cabinet. They (Siddaramaiah’s eight ministers) will all be given responsibility at the earliest," he said.
In July 2019, then BJP Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa operated as a one-member cabinet for over three weeks when the BJP assumed power after the collapse of the JDS-Congress coalition regime.
Not wanting to let go of the verbal duel, Bommai retorted, saying that Yediyurappa was all by himself when he was sworn in.
“In your case, the Ministers have already taken oath. You have made them ministers and haven’t handed them any responsibility. What will the people think," asked the former CM.
“No one will think anything. If you, the opposition, don’t think otherwise, it will be more than enough," Siddaramaiah responded.
Bommai once again responded, saying he was speaking on behalf of the newly appointed Congress ministers. Siddaramaiah replied with a “thank you for your suggestion".
SIDDU VS DKS: SHARED OR FULL TERM?
It’s not just the cabinet, but statements from the Siddaramaiah camp that have also been causing constant consternation in the Shivakumar camp.
A recent statement by Minister MB Patil, who is closely associated with Siddaramaiah, stated that the former would continue as the CM for the full five-year term. Internally, in a meeting between Sonia Gandhi, Shivakumar and Rahul Gandhi, it was discussed that the Deputy CM should wait for a couple of years, clear his Income Tax (I-T) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) cases, and be ready to take over the reins of the government from Siddaramaiah, who would be 78 years old by then. A younger Shivakumar could lead the state into the next election with him ‘possibly’ at the helm.
“DK (as Shivakumar is popularly called) is to be credited for the Congress win this time, and he will be rewarded. We have the word of Soniaji on this. We will wait, and it will be a ‘sweet’ wait," said a Shivakumar camp MLA who is also vying to be a minister.
HIJAB, HALAL BAN
Another issue that seems to be troubling the Congress is the revocation of the ban on hijab, halal and other communal-based laws implemented by the previous BJP government. During the campaign for the May 10 Assembly polls, the Congress, including Shivakumar, campaigned, stating that they would remove the ban once they assume power in the state. Cabinet Minister Priyank Kharge also recently reiterated that the Congress is committed to revoking the laws banning hijab, halal, on superstitions and cow slaughter.
Sources indicate that the Congress is cautiously approaching this matter, considering the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The party aims to avoid giving the BJP an opportunity to capitalize on the issue. However, some party leaders believe that the matter should be pursued, including the proposal to ban the Bajrang Dal in the party’s manifesto, which has previously yielded positive results. A decision on this will be made soon, according to a Congress insider.
Sources suggest that the party is also contemplating implementing its decision to construct a 114-foot tall Jesus Christ statue in Kapalabetta near Kanakapura town, intended to be the world’s largest Christ statue. Kanakapura also happens to be Shivakumar’s constituency.
As a result of the discussions to finalize the ministers for Karnataka, which reached an impasse on Thursday, crucial meetings between Congress’s top leaders and their counterparts from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh had to be postponed.
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