While former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D.K. Shivakumar have often demonstrated unity in taking on the ruling BJP government, there is an undercurrent of one-upmanship between the two prominent Congress leaders to take control of the State party unit.
In January, the appointment of B.K. Hariprasad as the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council was considered a “victory” for the Shivakumar camp. The former MP was a bitter critic of Mr. Siddaramaiah, who had backed another leader, C.M. Ibrahim, for the post. Mr. Ibrahim has since announced his decision to quit the party. Other appointments that were made subsequently were all viewed as attempts by the party high command to balance equations between the two camps.
This month, the show-cause notice issued to former MLA Ashok Pattan, a close confidante of Mr. Siddaramaiah and former chief whip, by the party’s disciplinary committee, has caused a stir. The notice was for Mr. Pattan’s alleged “anti-party activities” and “derogatory remarks” against Mr. Shivakumar. A video of Mr. Pattan complaining to Mr. Siddaramaiah over the KPCC chief’s style of functioning went viral. The notice did not mention Mr. Siddaramaiah, but it is seen as a dart aimed at him.
