After the Goa debacle where the Congress legislators have rebelled against the party in-charge Digvijay Singh, there is a strong wind blowing in Karnataka Congress for replacing Singh who has been facing a rebellion within the party.
According to the party sources, Digvijay Singh will be replaced with former Union Minister KV Thomas who, the leaders feel can take everyone together to face the strong BJP under BS Yeddyurappa.
A senior leader told The Pioneer that the high command was aware of the consequences in Goa and would replace Digvijay Singh after the AICC president Sonia Gandhi returns from US.
The leader also said AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi was also upset with him for his handling of Goa affair which they have lost in a whisker to the BJP and Rahul was aware that he had bungled many issues in Karnataka Congress which is facing image problem in the State.
As Karnataka is going to polls in 2018 it is crucial for the Congress to keep its forte intact here but drubbing in UP has been haunting the century old party which might be a herculean task for them to win with lot of dented image of the party.
Karnataka assumes importance for the party as the Assembly elections in the State are due early next year. With the Congress party suffering a major loss in Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Goa and Uttarakhand, the party wants to keep its hold intact in Karnataka. It is learnt many Congress leaders from Karnataka too have been pressing for a change in the setup so that a central leader who can better understand the problems of the organisation in the State is appointed.
According to the party insiders the name of KV Thomas, who was an observer for the Rajya Sabha elections, is doing rounds and many leaders within the party feel he would be of help in consolidating the party which is awry in the State.
Thomas will hand over the chairmanship of Public Accounts Committee to Mallikarjun Kharge in two-and-half months. At present, Kharge is Congress floor leader in the lok Sabha and will take additional charge as PAC chairman. Ernakulam lok Sabha MP Thomas’ term as PAC chairman will end on May 1.
Digvijay Singh, considered a close confidante of Rahul Gandhi, is currently in-charge general secretary for four states — Karnataka, Goa, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With the demand for making structural changes to strengthen the party to overcome the humiliating defeat in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, in-charge general secretaries of several States are expected to be replaced.
However, a section of the Congress leaders amid speculation in the ruling party that KV Thomas could replace Singh as general secretary in-charge of Karnataka, post the fiasco in Goa, are debating whether he will be able to shore up the numbers in the event of a fractured verdict in the State next year.
Senior Congress leaders AH Vishwanath, Janardhan Poojary, Jaffer Sheriff and others are openly criticising Digvijay’s style of functioning and agree with the style and strategy of Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was in-charge of the State when the party was piloted to power by SM Krishna.
Azad who had a close rapport with Janata Dal (Secular) supremo HD Deve Gowda, which helped the party knit together a coalition when polls held in 2004 threw up a hung Assembly with the Bharatiya Janata Party emerging as the single largest party with 79 seats, while the Congress finished second with 65 seats, followed by JD (S) at 58 seats.
The Congress-JD (S) coalition was headed by Dharam Singh and Siddaramaiah, then heading the State unit of JD(S), taking over as deputy Chief Minister. Many leaders feel in case of a fractured mandate Digvijay who has no link with the leaders may not help the party secure Karnataka which is now under seize by the appeasement politics to the hilt.
After senior leader SM Krishna who would be joining BJP soon many Congress leaders have indicated their willingness to join the saffron party. Dalit leader and former Union Minister V Srinivas Prasad has already in BJP and would be contesting the by poll from Nanjangudu constituency from BJP ticket. The two by polls which will be held next month are a litmus test for both the parties and it might give an indication to the Assembly polls in 2018.