Siddaramaiah is lucky to have second term

Koppal: In the midst of internal strife within the Karnataka Congress, veteran MLA Basavaraj Rayareddi had voiced his apprehensions about the party’s leadership and the dynamics of power. His recent comments have drawn attention to the ongoing tensions between MLAs and Ministers, as the party gears up for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Rayareddi, who was among the MLAs signing a letter of complaint to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah about non-cooperation from ministers, took a veiled swipe at the CM, accusing him of enjoying the benefits of a party built by others. The senior leader’s remarks have only served to exacerbate existing divisions within the party.

Speaking at an event in Koppal where he inaugurated the ‘Gruha Jyothi’ schme, Rayareddi expressed disappointment over not securing a ministerial berth. In his statement, he touched upon the role of luck in determining political success and drew comparisons to national-level leaders like L K Advani and Narendra Modi.

Rayareddi commented, “Luck favours a selected few. L K Advani constructed the party, yet it was Modi who ascended to the Prime Minister’s position. Consider Siddaramaiah within our Congress party; he secured the Chief Minister’s role twice. One wonders what the veteran Congress leaders make of such occurrences.”

His observations about the changing attitudes of leaders who now hold ministerial positions and were once subordinates under him have further fuelled the internal tensions. Rayareddi emphasized his extensive experience within the party, having been an MLA during the time of S R Bommai and even serving as a minister in H D Deve Gowda’s cabinet.

While Rayareddi’s comments have been perceived as a direct criticism of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s ascendancy, the Congress MLA has since clarified his stance. He claimed that his words were misconstrued and that he was not unhappy about Siddaramaiah being chosen as CM. Instead, he aimed to highlight the role of luck and chance in shaping political careers.

The Congress high command had earlier intervened to address the escalating issues within Karnataka’s Congress unit. Holding two rounds of meetings, they have urged senior leaders to resolve their differences and present a united front ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections.

With the stakes high and the public eye closely monitoring developments, the party leadership faces the pressing task of bridging the divides and maintaining focus on its electoral goals.