Following the victory of the Congress in the Karnataka Assembly elections, the party high command is likely to ask KPCC president and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to monitor and strategise the elections in Telangana later this year and steer the party to a victory in a similar fashion to that of Karnataka.
Mr. Shivakumar, who left for the national capital on Wednesday evening, would meet Congress president M. Mallikarjun Kharge and the former AICC chief Rahul Gandhi and discuss the poll strategy in Telangana, sources in the party here said.
In fact, after the party’s victory in Karnataka, a delegation of Congress leaders from Telangana met Mr. Shivakumar and invited him to work out a “winning formula” for the party in their State.
How Congress won Karnataka
Mr. Shivakumar’s leadership, five guarantees announced by the party, and sustained campaign on “40% commission” cgarge against the BJP government, coupled with Siddaramaiah’s popularity, are said to have helped the party to trounce the BJP in Karnataka. Following this, the party’s high command reportedly showed keen interest to entrust the task of elections in Telangana to Mr. Shivakumar. Mr. Shivakumar’s recent meetings with Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) chief Revanth Reddy and other leaders have sparked this speculation.
It is reported that Mr. Reddy has been facing opposition within the party and this has apparently dented the party’s image. The high command believes that the party’s “troubleshooter” Mr. Shivakumar has the ability to contain dissensions within the party before the elections, which are scheduled to be held in October.
With the Karnataka legislature session commencing on July 3, Mr. Shivakumar is also expected to discuss various issues related to State politics with the central leaders.
He is also likely to meet Union Water Resources Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to seek clearance for the Mekedatu dam project in the Cauvery basin in Karnataka, which has been opposed by neighbouring Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu passed a resolution against construction of the Mekedatu dam project saying it would curtail the flow of water to the State.
Karnataka has proposed the dam project as per the tribunal order and the Supreme Court ruling delivered in 2018, for catering to drinking water requirements of Bengaluru city.
Drought-like situation
With the deficient monsoon rain in June, the Deputy Chief Minister would also discuss with Mr. Shekhawat the drought-like situation in Karnataka and impending water shortage owing to a decline in water levels in reservoirs, sources said.
Mr. Shivakumar is expected to continue his stay in Delhi on Friday.
