Transfer of office?
The smooth transfer of power in Karnataka has been hailed as a rare display of discipline in contemporary Indian politics.
The smooth transfer of power in Karnataka has been hailed as a rare display of discipline in contemporary Indian politics.
Senior Congress leaders, including Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, have been holding a series of meetings with the party high command to iron out the final contours of the new government amid competing claims from various factions and aspirants.
The Congress on Tuesday firmly denied that its marathon meetings in New Delhi with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar were linked to any impending leadership change in the state, insisting instead that discussions were confined to the upcoming Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council elections.
Often called the grand old party, the Congress has this unique ability—to turn simple manageable situations into prolonged, complicated crises.
Terming the Centre’s move on fuel prices as an election gimmick, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday alleged that petrol and diesel prices would be increased again immediately after the elections.
Expressing unhappiness over Andhra Pradesh objecting to increasing the height of the Alamatti dam to 524 meters, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday urged the Centre to intervene in the matter.
Strongly hinting at a possible leadership change in Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday said he had met leaders at 10 Janpath, New Delhi, Sonia Gandhi's residence, and added that “time will give the answer”.
Siddaramaiah also reiterated that both of them would abide by the decision of the Congress high command, and Shivakumar would become the CM when the high command decides.
The informal gathering over idli and sambar offers a brief pause before the intense power struggle within the Congress party comes to a head.
Congress's Karnataka tussle may be classified as a typical Catch-22 situation, as choosing between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar is not so easy
