Kalaburagi: While blaming lack of proper ‘political management skills’ on the part of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for the problems facing the party and the government in the state these days, veteran Congress leader N. Dharam Singh on Friday stated that the Chief Minister has to pull up his socks to enable the party successfully face the coming Assembly elections in the state.
In a candid interview with Deccan Chronicle, Mr Singh, who is celebrating his 80th birthday on December 25, shared his views on what ails his party both in the state as well as at the national level and what needs to be done to reinvigorate it.
"No doubt Mr Siddaramaiah has been leading the government as Chief Minister. But his political management skills leave much to be desired. Even after completion of more than three and half years as CM, the gap between the old Congressmen and the migrated Congress leaders is huge. It's the duty of Mr Siddaramaiah to take all leaders into confidence and allay their apprehensions".
Without referring to the sex scandal involving former excise minister H.Y. Meti, who is a close follower of Mr Siddaramaiah and other controversies that have affected the state government, Mr Singh, known to be uncontroversial and soft-spoken, minced no words in declaring that the "party has to do a lot of exercise" before going to the polls.
"We are going to pressurize him (CM) to take steps needed to prepare the party to face the elections", Mr Singh asserted adding a grand convention of the Congress scheduled to be held here on December 25 coinciding with his birthday, was aimed at working in this direction.
Mr Singh also advised Mr Siddaramaiah to dispel apprehensions among the people of north Karnataka that their region was neglected as he (Siddu) belonged to the Old Mysuru region.
"In so far as Article 371(J) is concerned, there is a feeling among some people in HK region that it is not implemented effectively. I and Vaijanath Patil met the CM recently and urged him to take measures to effectively implement it."
"Moreover as Mr H.K. Patil, who heads the Cabinet Sub-Committee on implementation of 371(J), is not from the HK region, we requested him to include a person from the HK region in the Sub-Committee",Mr Singh added.
For the veteran politician and former CM, who has a five decade long association with the Congress, the decline of the grand old party over the years has been quite anguishing.
But he did not share the view that the Congress has suffered huge losses after Mr Rahul Gandhi assumed the mantle. " I admit that the strength the party had when late Indira Gandhi headed it, is lacking now. Lack of political management skills is responsible for this. Moreover ours is not a cadre based party. Of late Mr Rahul is doing well and giving befitting replies to the criticism against him. Although regional parties are growing in strength, the Congress is the only alternative in the country".
Mr Singh replied in the affirmative when asked whether he stood by his earlier statement that Mrs Priyanka Vadra should take over the mantle of the party. "I stand by my earlier statement as she has the charisma of her grandmother and can run the party better".
