Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who has consolidated himself after the victory in recently-held two bypolls defeating the BJP, has started asserting himself in the party which has created a sort of uncomfortable situation for the leaders inside the party.
Addressing a gathering in Bengaluru he asserted that he would be the Chief Minister in 2018 contradicting Congress leader Digvijay Singh, who is in-charge of Karnataka, had said its only the party and MlAs will decide the Chief Minister. However, he had said Siddaramaiah would lead the party in the 2018 Assembly polls which is crucial for the century-old party to keep its hold in the State.
AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh in Hubballi on Tuesday had said that Siddaramaiah would lead the party but the MlAs in the Congress legislature party meeting would decide the next Chief Minister. State party president G Parameshwara an aspirant to become the Chief Minister had often said that the party believes in collective leadership and the high command would take all important decisions. Parameshwara, a prominent Dalit leader in the State, has been an aspirant and has openly said he had missed it by a whisker.
A Congress leader on the condition of anonymity said the leaders in the party were worried over his assertion and said it was not easy for Siddaramaiah to take on everyone in the party together. He said, “the party and high command will decide the next Chief Minister of the State. Digvijay has said Siddaramaiah would lead the party in 2018 elections but that does not mean he would be the Chief Minister.”
Siddaramaiah's assertion at what seemed like a pre election gathering of over 10,000 people on the outskirts of Bengaluru has taken some of the Congress leaders by surprise. Another senior leader said Siddaramaiah has been underestimating the BJP and the JD(S )and can’t declare himself the CM himself. He said, “I am bit surprised. We give him the credit for the win in the bypolls, but how could he declare himself the next Chief Minister. It’s too early and high command will decide the Chief Minister.”
Meanwhile, in an effort to pacify ‘rebel’ star and Congress MlA from Mandya MH Ambareesh, Siddaramaiah met him at his residence and held talks for over two hours.
Sources in the Congress said Siddaramaiah accompanied by Ministers MB Patil and KJ George had dinner with Ambareesh. Siddaramaiah is learnt to have tried to convince Ambareesh not to quit the party.
Ambareesh, who is a prominent Vokkaliga leader from Mandya district, had raised a banner of revolt against the Chief Minister after he was removed from the Cabinet last year. He was also planning to quit as Congress MlA. Recently, he had dropped hints of quitting.