After CM Siddaramaiah's dinner meet with 35 Cong MLAs, K'taka BJP mocks Dy CM Shivakumar

Bengaluru: The Karnataka BJP has mocked Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President D.K. Shivakumar over some big decisions being taken by the government in his absence. Referring to the dinner meeting attended by seven cabinet ministers and 34 MLAs, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the BJP questioned whether Dy CM Shivakumar was merely a leader in name.

Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R. Ashoka, stated on Friday that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, seemingly waiting for Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to leave on a foreign trip, held a dinner meeting with 35 MLAs at Minister Satish Jarkiholi’s residence to assert his influence.

Addressing Shivakumar, Ashoka said, “In your absence, cabinet meetings are being held, and significant decisions, such as a 15 per cent hike in bus ticket fares, are being made. What does it signify when such decisions are taken without the presence of the Deputy Chief Minister and the party's state president?”

He added, “Mr. D.K. Shivakumar, the time has come to act on your bold declaration in the Assembly that you would wrest power.” Shivakumar had earlier humorously mentioned on the floor of the House that his astrologer had advised him to seize power.

Ashoka continued, “Does this mean that within the Congress party, you (Shivakumar) are present only in name but lack actual influence? Or is your assertiveness limited to media appearances?”

“If things continue like this, your dream will remain just that—a dream. That much is guaranteed,” Ashoka remarked, indirectly referring to Shivakumar’s ambition to become the Chief Minister.

Sources revealed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held a dinner meeting on Thursday night at the residence of PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi to strategize on replacing Shivakumar as the party's state president and to push for the creation of additional Deputy Chief Minister posts in the state. This move is perceived as an attempt to undermine Shivakumar, who has been positioning himself as a major leader in the party on par with Siddaramaiah.

Although leaders attending the dinner party claimed it was merely a New Year celebration, sources suggest internal conflicts within the Congress party.

The Chief Minister’s camp has long been advocating for the creation of more Deputy Chief Minister posts. While Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar worked together to secure a decisive victory for the Congress party in the 2023 Assembly elections, internal rivalries seem to be growing.

Siddaramaiah was instrumental in garnering votes from Dalits, minorities, and backward communities, whereas Shivakumar played a key role in bringing influential Vokkaliga votes to the party in the southern parts of the state.

Rahul Gandhi had earlier announced that the Chief Minister would be chosen based on the support of the majority of MLAs. Siddaramaiah secured the position for his second term, despite Shivakumar publicly expressing his desire to become the Chief Minister.

The BJP has also alleged that the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam in which CM Siddaramaiah is facing investigation was highlighted by Shivakumar as a tactic to counter the Chief Minister.