By Manjunath K. Shresthi
youtube.com/@theflagpost
July 04, 2025
India’s southern state Karnataka has an uncanny way of being in the news all the time. This time, the politics in the Congress party has taken centre stage. The Congress party in the assembly elections held in May 2023, made a convincing comeback winning 136 seats in the 224 members assembly.
There were many who sought to take credit for the party’s convincing win. But the voters, elected MLAs and the party high command, then gave credit to party loyalist D.K. Shivakumar. And he too quickly moved to seek the elusive Chief Minister’s chair. But it was not to be, the high command and
the wise men in the party acknowledged his hard work in getting the party to victory. But being denied the coveted job of becoming the CM, it is known to be on DK Shivakumar’s radar.
Since then, there has been a shadow boxing going on between the supporters of the current CM Siddaramaiah and the Dy.CM. The existence of their various camps is known to all, and the game of political one upmanship is regularly witnessed in the state. This is shadow boxing which is seen in the state’s power corridors, and by the political observers from within and outside the state.
The guarantees were the sole reason for the Congress party to make a comeback in the state. The state’s finances are being bled because of the five guarantees promised, and now being implemented by the state government. MLAs and senior politicians in the state keep complainin
about lack of funds for development work and for public works to be undertaken in their respective constituencies. An MLA from Belagavi district, said that he wanted to resign because of lack of funds for his constituency. Senior Congressman and CM’s confidante B. R. Patil, Aland MLA, also voiced his concerns of massive corruption in a housing project. His sound bites made headlines. This gave the opposition BJP, to convince the public that corruption and lack of governance have become the order of the day.
The followers of the CM, keep announcing that the CM will complete another full term as the Chief Minister till 2028. Similar announcements are done by the followers of the Dy. CM (DCM). Another rumour making the rounds that there will be change of guard post October-November this year. To keep the MLAs and the motor mouths in the party to stay quiet, the party in charge Randeep Surjewala visited the state. He’s known to have patiently heard the grievances of the said MLAs. And later, the entire Congress party is now saying that there’s no change in the CM; even the Dy. CM endorsed the same and was all smiles and his hands firmly held with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
But some of the party insiders believe that CM Siddaramaiah, had a free hand in his first term 2013-18. When there’s no clarity about leadership, then rumours become rife and the opposition too takes advantage of the same. Let’s hope that the Congress party resolves their internal issues and
focus on developmental works in the state.
