Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Dec 8: Even as the coalition partners in the state are spending sleepless nights over the possibility of the government facing instability during the ten-day winter session of the state assembly beginning at Belagavi on Monday December 10, the leaders have got a shocking news. Former chief minister, Siddaramaiah, who is adept at fire-fighting tactics and has succeeded in handling dissident leaders having a grouse against the government, is planning to go on foreign trip and skip the Belagavi session of the assembly.

Siddaramaiah, besides being the leader of Congress parliamentary party in the assembly, is also the chairman of coordination committee of the coalition government. Therefore his presence in the assembly is utmost necessary when the government is facing several challenges, and BJP is trying to hold protests and floor the government. In the past, the high command of the party had relied on Siddaramaiah's ability to douse dissidence. There is suspicion that this move of Siddaramaiah is backed by some political plans.

Already several Congress legislators have dropped broad hints about absenting from Belagavi session of the state assembly.

Congress legislature party meeting had been planned to be held at Bengaluru on December 8. At the last minute, it was postponed. The concerned were informed that it would be held on December 12 or 13. Now it has been further postponed to December 18, after Siddaramaiah returns. This meeting was planned to thrash out the issue of ministry expansion. This second postponement has naturally angered the aspirants who have been waiting for too long to get into the ministry.

Political circles are agog with various theories about Siddaramaiah’s decision to stay away from the session which will witness lot of turmoil. Union minister Prakash Javadekar had said recently that Karnataka government will face political quakes. There was information that BJP has taken initiative to woo disgruntled leaders from Congress and JD(S). The ministerial aspirants believe that the ministry expansion might not happen on December 22 as announced, as they have clear hints that it would happen after Lok Sabha election.

In the past too, Siddaramaiah had taken rest at Shantivana, Dharmasthala, when the coalition government was facing acute dissident activities. In the past, he had gone on foreign trip after announcing about the decision of the coalition coordination committee to expand the ministry just like he has done now.

Congress leaders have said that Siddaramaiah would be present on the first day of the session. He will leave on Monday evening on foreign trip, and return on December 18 and chair the legislature party meeting.