In just about three months time, the Congress has faced embarrassment after leaders have been caught bad mouthing KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar on microphone that has exposed chinks in the party where Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah and Mr. Shivakumar are seen contenders for the Chief Minister’s post.
While in October, it was media coordinator M.A Saleem and former MLC V.S. Ugrappa, who were caught bad mouthing the Vokkaliga leader, it was former legislator from Ramdurg Ashok Pattan in the latest episode. On both occasions, the microphone picked up conversations.
“It is a dangerous trend that will hurt the party as well as leaders. It is surprising that all those found speaking are senior enough and knew that they were speaking at a wrong place. Such episodes should be stopped, especially in the election year and leaders should reign in their followers and restrain them from bad mouthing each other’s camp,” party sources felt. “Followers should avoid pleasing their leaders by indulging in such petty politics and that too in public domain,” sources said.
According to another source, Mr. Pattan, a known follower of Mr. Siddaramaiah, is keen to please his leader since his constituency has a big chunk of Kuruba voters. Though the leaders have buried their differences in public for the greater good of the party, it is their followers who are bringing embarrassing situations by their utterances, sources said.
Responding to the episode, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that it was an internal matter of the party, and that such differences between Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Shivakumar are already known. “There are many instances. Congress never worked for the welfare of the people. They were always concerned about coming to power and using power for their selfish ends.”
Revenue Minister R. Ashok caustically said that the internal fight between two leaders have come out in open now. “Mr. Siddaramaiah is day dreaming of Congress coming back to power.”
