After the Cabinet reshuffle, V. Srinivas Prasad otherwise a quiet leader, became the rallying point for disgruntled Congress legislators. Raising the banner of revolt against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Mr Prasad is now trying to build a group within the party to replace the CM.
During an interview, he showed utter contempt for the chief minister, yet did not utter anything unparliamentary. He also spoke about his future course of action. Here are excerpts.
After the cabinet reshuffle, the series of statements from you were bit confusing. What exactly do you want?
I will be straightforward. We want a leadership change in Karnataka. The reshuffle was not to strengthen the party. You (chief minister) carried out the reshuffle to fulfil your selfish motives. A year back, there was discussion in the party about changing you. You have done enough damage to the party. So the party has to change the Congress legislature party leader.
If you see the rebellion in Assam, the Congress high command did not change the incumbent chief ministers in the middle of his term (though the party lost the polls later). Then, why do you want to fight the CM?
This is an issued-based fight. This is not a number game. We have taken up an issue. That does mean they will change (the leadership). It’s alright. But we have to bring it to their notice. If the party has to survive, they have to change the leadership. We discussed this in detail. You (high command) must collect reports from different sources and then take a call. Even if you don’t change
the leadership, we will not quit the party. But you (high command) have to gauge the public mood.
You seem to be a very decent and dignified politician. Do you think you will be successful in your mission at a time when your rivals are hitting below the belt?
We can’t play dirty. We have to be decent and dignified in our words and action. If we do otherwise, it will hurt the party. The party is losing one state after the other. If you see the whole of south India, the only state where the party can come to power on its own is Karnataka. In this context we have to see the issue of replacing Siddaramaiah. His goal was to become the chief minister. He achieved it. He reshuffled the cabinet to stay in power for two more years, not to bring back the party to power in 2018. Till the last minute, I was with him, he did not even hint at a rejig. He should have shown the courtesy to tell me.
In the last cabinet meeting before the reshuffle, Mr Siddaramaiah had told ministers about dropping a few..
No. After discussing the items on the agenda, he spoke about two issues. He said ministers should complete the general transfers before June end. Then he raised this issue. He said "We have completed three years. Unlike the previous government, none of us have gone to jail or got involved in any scam. You have done a wonderful job. But I have to carry out a reshuffle. It is inevitable for me to do it, you have to co-operate with me." He did not mention the words, ‘dropping ministers’ inside the cabinet hall. Later, I think he misled the media about this.
Health, non-performance and image are the three parameters Mr Siddaramaiah adopted while dropping ministers. He might be right..
First, take the image parameter. A lot of information is coming out about Mahadevprasad and Dr H.C. Mahadevappa (ministers). I do not want to go into the details of what their children are doing. Has it earned us a good image? Now, you take the second parameter, health. If you had doubts, you could have asked me. When the cabinet sub-committees travelled across various drought hit areas, I used to travel 600 kms per day. Roshan Baig once asked me how I was so fit when people say I am ill. You can go and ask Mr Baig. Finally the performance parameter. As district in-charge minister, I have done well and in the revenue department, we brought reforms. We implemented schemes effectively.
He says as revenue minister you couldn’t travel across the state..
You (CM) could have asked me about this. Did you discuss this with me? No. As minister, I travelled to various districts. This is a lame excuse. I am not ready to accept his view.
Since 1985, parties which suffered from internal squabbles, suffered heavily in the ensuing elections. Your party may suffer in 2018 if you continue the rebellion.
We are telling all these leaders to protect the interests of the party. The damage had happened only when Janata Parivar parties ruled the states. Barring 1989, we never had any problem. I do not want to work against the party. But, I am not a disciplined soldier of the party when it comes to fighting you. I will not give up my fight against you (Siddaramaiah) so early.
In the state’s history, many rebel leaders, be it S. Bangarappa or B.S. Yeddyurappa who formed separate parties in Karnataka, took away 10 -15 per cent of votes from the parties they split away. If the Congress high command is convinced that you and your team can hold on to 10-15 per cent votes, then it may think of changing of leadership. What do you think?
That possibility (of forming a separate outfit) is not before us. We are not going anywhere. If this man is changed, he (Mr Siddaramaiah) may not support the new legislature party leader. The Congress high command knows this well. He may rebel and form a party. Precisely for his unfaithful nature, the high command should consider changing him.
The question was about your potential to swing Dalit votes.
I think the high command might have got the report by now. They have assessed our strength. But, Mr Siddaramaiah might have given a different picture to them. That’s why they agreed to drop me.
Many people say you had worked for Dalit empowerment in the early part of your life, so you can swing Dalit votes. But the CM says he is the unquestionable AHINDA leader and has 65 per cent votes in his kitty. If that is true, why should he be bothered?
When this man was expelled from Janata Dal (S), he planned to launch AHINDA, a non-political forum. At that time, Kodandaramaiah, Laxmisagar and B.R. Patil came to my residence and requested me to launch it at Basavakalyan. They told me one Mahadevappa or one Ibrahim(C.M. Ibrahim) cannot make AHINDA. They took me to Basavakalyan to launch AHINDA. Throughout the state, AHINDA did not happen. Only one section of OBCs came for the rally. It flopped. When Operation Lotus happened and many by-polls were thrust on the state, Mr Siddaramaiah did not campaign for party candidates. That’s the true colour of Siddaramaiah. His claim of having control over 65 per cent votes is bogus. Finally I can tell party leaders that if you remove Siddaramaiah, you may lose six per cent votes. But if you retain him you will lose 20 per cent in the next elections. It is as simple as that. Now it is left to you (high command) to decide.
