Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar Halts CM Siddaramaiah’s Bid To Oust Him From PCC

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah holding a dinner meeting with his ministers and legislators close to him, while his rival Deputy CM D K Shivakumar (DKS) was away on a family vacation in Turkey naturally triggered its own dynamics in state’s politics. Sidda reportedly prompted a campaign of “one man one post,” in a bid to suggest that DKS could not continue as Karnataka PCC chief.  Sidda has been restless ever since the MUDA land scam and hoping to drag DKS in some controversy. That is probably why he triggered a debate that in case he demits office, he ought to be succeeded by a SC/ST or OBC leader.  He clearly doesn’t want DKS, a Gowda leader, to replace him. DKS met AICC General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal in Delhi and briefed him about the “one man one post” campaign. Shivakumar told the Central leadership that unless such meetings were stopped immediately, it would give scope to political rumours. Incidentally the Karnataka leader was in Delhi to announce freebies for Delhi Assembly polls like Rs 2,500 per month allowance for women. Normally, such women related pre-poll freebies are announced by Priyanka Gandhi. Oddly, for Delhi polls both Rahul and Priyanka are keeping away. Expressing unhappiness over  CM Siddaramaiah’s dinner meeting and several leaders loyal to  the CM giving statements on appointing a new state president and creating more deputy CMs, Shivakumar pointed out that  the Jan 2 dinner  event , convened by Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi had  created a lot of buzz about leadership change. It was at DKS’s behest, AICC in charge Randeep Surjewala got another CM aspirant Home Minister G Parameshwara to cancel a dinner he announced for SC/ST leaders.