Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Jan 28: At a time when the environment within the Congress party is increasingly turning choky for Siddaramaiah and many were starting to get the gut feeling that the state ex-deputy chief minister might announce his plans to leave the Congress any time, he has received a call from the party high command to come to Delhi and meet them for discussions.

The Congress party had got a shot in the arm when backward classes leader Siddaramaiah deserted the JD (S) and joined its ranks, less than three years ago. However, since then, his ambitions of going up the ladder within the Congress have been cold-shouldered. His close associates who followed him into the Congress fold, are feeling increasingly frustrated, and pressurizing him to leave the party as they feel neglected here.

In the recent past, Siddaramaiah has increasingly disowned his aversion for the BJP and has calmed down a bit. He restrained from criticizing the government at the recently concluded legislature session and praised the chief minister for giving funds for Kaginele Foundation. After he traveled with the chief minister on the same helicopter for a programme recently, Congress leaders started thinking that he will join the BJP.

The High Command seems to have suddenly realized the importance of Siddaramaiah in view of the forthcoming Loksabha election and have asked him to come to Delhi for discussions. He may go there today.  His supporters are likely to take a final decision on deserting the party, forming of a separate party or joining some other party, at a meeting to be held here on January 30.

While Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president R V Deshpande has been advising Siddaramaiah to be patient, Siddu does not seem to agree to this suggestion. Party sources expect that he will be offered a post in the All India Congress Committee with bright prospects of his supporters Dr Mahadecvappa and C M Ibrahim being offered the posts of KPCC general secretary and Rajyasabha membership respectively. Siddaramaiah is said to be aiming for the post of the KPCC president and the post of the opposition leader in the assembly, both of which he is unlikely to get.

The party may not antagonize opposition leader in the assembly Mallikarjun Kharge, as it may anger scheduled communities. Hence, it would be interesting to know what he proposes to do next. Perhaps, an answer will be available by the 30th of this month.