Karnataka cabinet rejig: Siddaramaiah inducted Priyank to silence Kharge?
Kalaburagi: Despite the uproar the Cabinet reshuffle has created with supporters of dropped ministers taking to the streets to express their anger, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seems to have pulled off quite a feat, going by party insiders.
They believe that not only has he managed to refurbish the sagging image of his thee -year- old Cabinet, but has also strengthened his position as Chief Minister, may be for the remaining term of the state Assembly, deftly checkmating senior Congress leader, Mallikarjun Kharge, who is believed to have been eyeing the post.
The high command has made it clear by giving its consent for the reshuffle that Mr Siddaramaiah will continue to remain in the saddle and has left Mr Kharge with no option but to focus his attention on matters in Delhi, say these senior party leaders.
“Till this Cabinet reshuffle, Mr Kharge’s chances of becoming Chief Minister seemed bright owing to accusations that Mr Siddaramaiah had failed to provide an efficient administration in the state. But now the boundaries have been clearly drawn, indicating each man's role. Mr Siddaramaiah, who till yesterday invited derisive remarks both from his partymen and the Opposition suggesting he lacked the necessary political acumen to run the state, has now definitely gained an upper hand in the party as well as government,” said one local leader.
The induction of Mt Kharge’s son, Priyank, a first-term MLA, into the Cabinet, is being hailed as a master stroke by the Chief Minister as it has not only bought the silence of Mr Kharge, but has also cleverly deflected the anger of senior leaders from the region like dropped ministers, Qamarul Islam and Baburao Chavan, and disappointed hopefuls, Dr A.B. Malakraddi and Malikayya Guttedar, towards Mr Kharge.
“Although Mr Kharge has issued a statement saying he had advised the Chief Minister against dropping the two ministers, the damage has already been done,” noted a close observer of the recent shake-up in the party.
Miffed Qamarul takes on Kharge, says Congress will pay
Minister for Municipal Administration and Minority Welfare Qamarul Islam launched a tirade against senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday for divesting him of his ministerial berth while his supporters have given a call for Kalaburagi bandh on June 26 to protest against the decision.
The supporters of Mr Islam, who attacked the office of the DCC here on Sunday, held a meeting to express solidarity for their leader. At a well-attended meeting, Mayor Syed Ahmed, Kalaburagi Development Authority Chairman Ashghar Ali Chulbul and 20 corporators tendered their resignation from their posts as well primary membership of the party. They handed over their letters to Mr Islam in this regard.
Mr Islam said he would meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday at New Delhi to know the reasons for his removal. Targeting Mr Kharge, he said, “Earlier Mr Kharge had great love and regard for the party. But now his love for his son has overtaken everything, the party will have to pay a heavy price for this in coming elections”.
Even though he held five leaders - Digvijay Singh, Siddaramaiah, Dr G Parameshwar, Oscar Fernandes and Mallikarjun Kharge- responsible for hatching a conspiracy to divest him of the ministerial berth, his anger was directed against Mr Kharge.
“How I can believe media reports which say Kharge tried hard to convince the high command to retain me in the Cabinet, when his son who is a first time legislator has been accommodated in the ministry. After all that I have done for Mr Kharge, is this the reward I get?”, he wondered. He contended that his removal was an act of “great injustice” to Muslim community.
