There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar for the CM's post after Assembly election results were declared.
Published May 22, 2024 | 2:31 AM ⚊ Updated May 22, 2024 | 2:31 AM
Basavaraj Bommai. (File pic)
Senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday, 21 May predicted that the Congress government in Karnataka will fall due to its contradictions, after the Lok Sabha poll results are out on 4 June.
Claiming that there were internal differences in the ruling party and “competition” between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, the former CM also stated that there may be a vertical split in the Congress at the national level after the poll results and that too may impact the government in the state.
“Statements were made by the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister during the Lok Sabha election. The CM on one side said – if you don’t vote for us (Congress) in large numbers, it will be difficult for me to continue. On the other hand, Deputy CM said – you (people) voted for Congress thinking I will become Chief Minister but you were let down and in the days to come I will become (CM),” Bommai told reporters at Kalaburagi.
He further said, “No minister contested the polls, instead they fielded their children. These are big indications that things are not fine in this government, there are internal differences over several issues. There are lobbies, and there was a short break for them due to elections, but they will restart their activities again.”
“The Congress government will fall due to its own contradictions. Narendra Modi will certainly become Prime Minister for the third time, and within a few months after that there will be a lot of changes in the Congress. It won’t be surprising if there is a vertical split, and that will have its implications in Karnataka.”
The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka completed one year in office on Monday, 20 May.
Responding to a question, Bommai said the BJP has no agenda, and the party will only “wait and watch” the developments.
“Difference of opinion is natural in any government, there are no governments without differences, but here it is not mere difference of opinion, here there is competition. One person is on his toes to become the Chief Minister, while the other doesn’t want to give up the CM post to anyone. This competition between personalities has resulted in bigger political implications in the past, in Karnataka’s history,” he said.
The BJP and JD(S) leaders in the state have predicted the collapse of the Congress government after the Lok Sabha polls, despite Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar ruling out any differences.
Leaders of the two opposition parties have been hinting at a possible power tussle within the Congress, amid persistent rumours about leadership change in the ruling party in the state after Lok Sabha polls or mid-way of the current assembly’s tenure.
There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the CM’s post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May last year, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy Chief Minister.
There were some reports at the time of an alleged compromise based on a “rotational Chief Minister formula,” according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years but it has not been officially confirmed by the party.
Shivakumar has made no secret of his ambition to become Chief Minister, while Siddaramaiah had sought public support during Lok Sabha polls so that the Congress would win the maximum number of seats in the state which would cement his position.
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