Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jan 25: Confusions and tussles within the Congress for the posts of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, leader of the opposition in the assembly and the leader of Congress legislature party have created a turmoil in the party.

In spite of clear instructions from the top not to neglect his responsibility as KPCC president till his resignation is accepted, Dinesh Gundu Rao has not been visiting the KPCC office. In the meanwhile, in a curious development, D K Shivakumar, whose name was reportedly finalised for the post of the KPCC president, has sprung a surprise by claiming that he is not an aspirant for this post.

Siddaramaiah too is said to have been disgusted over the controversy created by the stubborn nature of senior party leaders both at the centre and the state to split the posts of the leader of the opposition and Congress legislature party, both the posts which are currently held by him. As he is frustrated at the decision of the leadership to follow the Maharashtra model and give these two posts to two leaders, Siddaramaiah is understood to have indicated that if the posts are divided, he is not interested to take one of these posts. He is learnt to have expressed to his close ones his decision to accept only if the leadership asks him to withdraw resignation and continue to hold both the posts together.

Shivakumar, who was in Delhi, deviated from his earlier stand to say that he is no more an aspirant for the post of KPCC president. Political pundits are trying to analyse the game plan behind this statement. Some feel that he would have become disinterested in the post as he has realized that if he becomes KPCC president, he will not draw support from Siddaramaiah, and there is no guarantee that original Congressmen will back him through thick and thin.

Shivakumar, who was in jail relating to money laundering case, had met national leaders of the party after he was released from Tihar jail, in an effort to win over their confidence, and he seemed to have succeeded in this effort. He also nursed the ambition of proving his organizational skills during the next three years and then become automatic choice for becoming next chief minister. It is said that he was also preparing to make a few JD(S) legislators from Tumakuru, Mysuru and Mandya districts to cross over to the Congress in the next assembly election. But the fact that his efforts to become KPCC president are being stymied by opponents have frustrated the Vokkaliga leader. He also has found that all those who are opposing Siddaramaiah are not backing him either. He would have expressed disinterestedness in the KPCC post also because of the possibility of losing the face if the high command chooses another candidate for the post by ignoring him, and as he wants to play safe to save his dignity and honour.

Shivakumar, who seems to have been cornered in spite of making lot of sacrifices for the party and playing the role of its saviour, said that he has not lobbied for the post of the KPCC president and will never do that in future. He said he will not feel let down if he is not made the state party president. At the same time, he dismissed the notion that he is climbing down from his position because of the enforcement directorate case, by commenting that he can provide a long list of leaders in important positions in spite of facing serious cases.