Congress’ MUDA politics

Following the Karnataka High Court order upholding the governor's power to sanction an investigation into the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) issue and the Special Court’s directive to the Mysuru branch of the Lok Ayukta to investigate and submit a report within three months, the investigation has gained momentum.

Additionally, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has entered the scene. Debates abound on whether the decision by Parvathi, the chief minister's wife, to surrender the sites to MUDA was an attempt to circumvent the investigation or to salvage Siddaramaiah’s reputation over four decades of clean governance.

Given these developments, it is useful to examine the political landscape. Both the Congress Party and Siddaramaiah maintain that he need not resign as chief minister, as the government itself is in favour of a full investigation into the matter. Senior party leaders, including a former chief minister and Union minister, have also publicly stated that Siddaramaiah need not resign.

Despite these public declarations, it is widely understood that some senior cabinet members, who are CM aspirants, have been holding private meetings and lobbying the Congress High Command for support in the event of a leadership change. Chief among the contenders for the CM’s ‘gaddi’ is the Deputy Chief Minister and State Party President D K Shivakumar, a powerful leader from the influential Vokkaliga community. His claim to the chief minister's post is further strengthened by the fact that no other Vokkaliga Congress leader is vying for the position.

It is well known that the Home Minister, G Parameswara, a senior leader from the SC community, has for long been nursing the ambition of becoming the chief minister. Parameswara's claims cannot be brushed aside if the change of guard becomes necessary.

Additionally, Parameswara reportedly enjoys the support of All India Congress Committee (AICC) President Mallikarjun Kharge. At the same time, there is also talk that Siddaramaiah may favour another senior minister, Satish Jarkiholi, an ST leader with considerable standing in northern Karnataka, as his successor if the situation arises.

It is also important to bear in mind that the Lingayat lobby within the Siddaramaiah ministry is also quietly staking its claim for the CM’s chair if the need arises. There are reports that the Large and Medium Industries Minister, M B Patil, is a front-runner for the position as he is also a Siddaramaiah loyalist.

He is likely to be backed by the party senior Shamanur Shivshankarappa if it comes to that. The Lingayat lobby in the party would strongly press its claim, arguing that with a Lingayat as chief minister, the Congress Party would be able to neutralise the community’s support base of the Bharatiya Janata Party, something which the Congress can not ignore.

The BJP-Janata Dal (Secular) combined Opposition has upped the ante for Siddaramaiah’s resignation ever since the Mysuru branch of the Lok Ayukta began its investigation. Their demand has been continuing ever since they carried out a joint ‘padayatra’ from Bengaluru to Mysuru before the legal proceedings on the MUDA issue began.

It looks like a ‘do or die’ battle for them to bring themselves into the centre stage of state politics, though internal bickering between the BJP and the JD(S) is well known. Though the Opposition is aware that it cannot unseat the Congress government from power in view of the latter’s strong majority (136 in an Assembly of 224 seats), their objective is to unseat Siddaramaiah first and eventually force mid-term polls to the Assembly by projecting corruption, the dwindling financial position of the state as a result of financing the Congress government’s five guarantees, and alleged misgovernance as major issues to seek a popular mandate.

The government's delay in implementing the caste census report, which has been held up for quite some time due to opposition from within the Lingagat and Vokkaliga communities, has provided the Opposition with further ammunition. Despite the clear position taken by the Congress Party and Rahul Gandhi at the national level in favour of a caste census, the delay has raised questions about the seriousness of Siddaramaiah's government in implementing the report.

Thus, paradoxical as it may seem, despite the Congress government's numerical strength, it now finds itself, after just a year and a half, facing questions about its stability. The public perceptions of these unfolding developments appears increasingly negative.

(The writer is former Dean, Faculty of Arts at Bangalore University)