DKShi seeks report on Cong joining hands with JD(S) in Mysuru

PTI, Feb 26, 2021, 8:13 AM IST

Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar, who is said to be under intense scrutiny from senior party colleagues, on Thursday said he has sought a report regarding the turn of events that led to the decision to give up the Mysuru City Corporation mayor position to the JD (S).

”…JD(S) should have given us (Congress) the Mayor position, they did not, they should have walked the talk, why they did not I don’t know,” Shivakumar told reporters in response to a question.

He said, ”I have sought a report from Dhruvanarayan (KPCC Working President)…after that, I will speak.”

According to party sources, in a meeting held at Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah’s residence earlier in the day, several party leaders questioned Shivakumar regarding the decision to join hands with the JD(S) and giving up the mayor post to the regional party during the Wednesday election.

When senior leaders including MLA Ramesh Kumar raised the issue and questioned the leadership, Siddaramaiah who is miffed with the decision, said that he was pained by the turn of events and did not speak much, while Shivakumar stated it was the decision taken by local leaders like MLA Tanveer Sait, to keep BJP out of power.

Leaders then questioned Shivakumar as to how local leaders could take such crucial decisions without consulting the CLP leader or party’s State president, sources added.

In a last-minute twist, Congress and JD(S) had joined hands to keep away the BJP from taking control of the Mysuru City Corporation, during the mayoral elections on Wednesday, which saw JD(S)’ Rukmini Made Gowda elected as mayor and Congress’ Anwar Baig as the Deputy Mayor.

Though this Mayoral polls saw the continuation of the Congress-JD(S) alliance, the turn of events came as a surprise, as JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy ahead of polls had ruled out allying with any party and had fielded its candidates.

In the council where no party has an absolute majority, all three parties had fielded candidates making the contest interesting, but at the last moment, Congress and JD(S) decided to join hands to keep BJP out of power.

According to party sources, JD(S) relented and agreed to join hands with the Congress, after the grand old party decided to sacrifice the mayor post, despite this was its chance for the top job as per the earlier agreement between the two.

Siddaramaiah was from the beginning opposed to ties with JD(S) if the Congress didn’t get the mayor post in Mysuru, which is home turf.

However, Shivakumar realising that BJP will be at an advantage if the party does not join hands with JD(S), is said to have contacted the regional party leaders, resulting in the continuation of alliance between both parties in the corporation.

Some Congress leaders see this also as part of political one-upmanship that is between Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah to gain control over party affairs in the State.