Date:02/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/02/stories/2009010253890400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Siddaramaiah becomes the target of attack in Congress

Laiqh A. Khan and T.S. Ranganna

‘Congress-JD(S) pact didn’t fructify because of him’
His role will come under scrutiny at the January 5 meet

Siddaramaiah

Bangalore: Former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah appears to have become a punching bag for Congress leaders in the State, who wish to vent their frustration over the party’s humiliating performance in the bypolls to eight Assembly constituencies.

According to them, Mr. Siddaramaiah had not only thwarted the attempts by the party leadership to forge a pre-poll understanding with the Janata Dal (S) but also stayed away from campaigning, which is believed have affected the Congress prospects.

After the party high command rejected an understanding with the Janata Dal (S), ostensibly to keep Mr. Siddaramaiah in good humour, the naïve among the Congressmen believed that the backward classes leader, who enjoys clout among the Kurubas, would campaign for the party in the bypolls and shore up its prospects. But their hopes were belied when Mr. Siddaramaiah stayed away from campaigning, stating that he was awaiting a direction from the high command.

According to Congress leaders, Mr. Siddaramaiah’s insistence on fresh directions from the high command was only a ploy to stay away from campaigning, as he continued to be the chairman of the party’s Campaign Committee in Karnataka and an office had been reserved for him at Congress Bhavan in Bangalore. Some senior leaders had even reminded him of it.

It would appear that Mr. Siddaramaiah never wished to campaign as he was nursing a grouse against the party leadership for not making him either the leader of Opposition in the Assembly or president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).

With speculation rife that Mr. Siddaramaiah is planning to float a new political outfit, a whisper campaign is on in the Congress circles to vilify the former Deputy Chief Minister and hold him responsible for the party’s drubbing.

A section of the Congress leaders is accusing Mr. Siddaramaiah of instigating AHINDA leaders to drum up support for the BJP. Hence, the Kuruba community, which comprises a substantial chunk of voters in several constituencies which went to polls and could have proved decisive, refused to favour the Congress even when they were approached by other Kuruba leaders of the party.

A senior office-bearer of the KPCC told The Hindu that his role would come under scrutiny during the party’s introspection meeting planned on January 5.

The Congress leader said: “It was at his insistence that the proposal to enter into tie-up with the Janata Dal (S) was dropped.

When the Congress leadership had honoured his demand, should he not have reciprocated by campaigning for the party candidates? Far from campaigning, he asked his supporters to use the AHINDA forum to drum up support for the BJP,” he said.

However, the Congress leaders in the State are passing the buck on the question of taking action against Mr. Siddaramaiah.

While leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly M. Mallikarjun Kharge said on Thursday that the matter relating to initiating action against the former Deputy Chief Minister rests with the KPCC president R.V. Deshpande, working president of KPCC D.K. Shivakumar said the issue would be handled by the party high command.