NEW DELHI: With the power tussle between Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar showing no signs of easing, Congress leaders are holding back-to-back meetings to find a way out of the crisis.Amid mounting speculation, fuelled by media reports and party sources, that Siddaramaiah could step down from the top post, Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday sought to play down the buzz, insisting that no formal decision has been taken by the party.”Currently, no meeting of the legislature party has been called by the Congress party. No other decision has yet been taken. As things evolve, we will inform you. I cannot tell you what will happen after one month, 20 days, tomorrow, six months or one year — that is speculation,” Surjewala said.Even as the Congress leadership attempted to contain the speculation, news agency PTI reported that Siddaramaiah has sought time from the governor and is scheduled to host a breakfast meeting with cabinet colleagues at his official residence on Thursday, further fuelling political suspense in Bengaluru. Meanwhile, the Congress leadership is keen to avoid a Rajasthan-like situation and is attempting to work out an amicable formula acceptable to both leaders and their respective camps.Here are three possible political scenarios that could unfold in Karnataka in the coming days:Status quoBoth Siddaramaiah and DKS were summoned to Delhi by the Congress high command on Tuesday and held a series of meetings with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi.However, after the meeting, Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal dismissed speculation and said the discussions were focused entirely on the upcoming Rajya Sabha and Karnataka Legislative Council elections.On Wednesday, Randeep Surjewala – the high command’s envoy sent to Karnataka – also remained tight-lipped and said the party would make decisions not in favour of individuals, but in favour of Karnataka.If the status quo remains, DKS may have to wait two more years for Congress to project him as the chief ministerial candidate in the 2028 assembly elections.If Siddaramaiah quits the postIf Siddaramaiah quits the CM post, it will pave the way for DKS to take over the top job in Karnataka.For an amicable transition of power, Rahul Gandhi reportedly asked Siddaramaiah, in a one-on-one meeting, to consider taking up a national role in the party. He was asked to respond within a week.If Siddaramaiah agrees to shift to the Rajya Sabha, it may warrant a change in the leader of opposition post, currently held by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge.The Congress president is set to get another Rajya Sabha term next month, and many consider Siddaramaiah a strong contender for the LoP post to help the Congress strengthen its OBC vote base.According to sources, Rahul Gandhi’s team also discussed a possible cabinet berth for Siddaramaiah’s son Yathindra as part of the negotiations.The possibility of shifting the 77-year-old leader to the Rajya Sabha has gained momentum ahead of elections to four Upper House seats from Karnataka in June. Congress is confident of winning at least three seats.It remains to be seen whether the CM quietly agrees to let Shivakumar replace him or puts up resistance, potentially opening the way for a third candidate as a compromise.Mid-term pollsAmid the ongoing tussle over the chief ministerial post, the Congress government faces the danger of losing its majority in the Vidhan Soudha.There are 23 Vokkaliga MLAs in the grand old party who are supporting DKS.In a scenario where the Congress high command decides to continue with Siddaramaiah as the chief minister, these MLAs who are openly backing DKS can pull out support from the government.Meanwhile, 9 Kuruba MLAs and 34 Lingayat MLAs support Siddaramaiah, making the CM choice a Catch-22 situation for the high command.Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra predicted that Karnataka may face early assembly polls and that the Congress government will not complete its full term even after a change in chief minister.“The Congress high command has today acknowledged that the party government led by Siddaramaiah has failed to provide good governance during the last three years, and has therefore decided to change the chief minister,” he told reporters in Shivamogga.“After marathon meetings in Delhi yesterday, a decision has finally been taken that Siddaramaiah should resign,” he claimed.Vijayendra said the issue was not about who would become the next CM, but about the condition of the state administration.“We have reached a stage where everyone has to think about the direction in which the state is heading. Due to internal conflicts, the administration had completely collapsed,” he charged. Go to Source
