By M K Ashoka

Bengaluru, Apr 15 (IANS): A discussion is on in Karnataka on the high voltage fights between the bigwigs of different political parties, after the BJP decided to field its senior leaders against the top leaders of the Congress. As the state is inching closer to the assembly elections, the discussion on the barely comcealed fight between Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah has gathered momentum.

At the outset, everything seems to be fine for the Congress. Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah are in perfect harmony and working in tandem to bring the Congress to power in Karnataka. The internal surveys and surveys conducted by media houses suggest a comfortable majority for the party. The survey results have only made the competition between the two leaders who are successfully challenging the BJP leadership more intense.

Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah are both aspirants for the post of chief minister, if voted to power. The tussle was more evident when Siddaramaiah's loyal MLAs and senior leaders claimed that he will become the CM. The development has embarrassed the party and especially Shivakumar.

The BJP leaders in Karnataka mocked the Congress that it will never come anywhere near to power as Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah themselves will ensure the defeat of the party, vying to become the CM.

However, the situation was contained and the party high command got into damage control mode quickly and the statements by the Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah camps were stopped.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who took out the Bharat Jodo Yatra successfully in Karnataka, clarified that the MLAs are going to elect the CM after the elections. He underlined that Shivakumar has made sacrifices for the party and he likes and respects Siddaramaiah.

However, sources in the Congress party now state that the knives are out and competition has begun between the two top leaders again behind the scenes. Siddaramaiah's camp claims that he is a mass leader with the ability of winning 80 seats for the party and his influence could be seen all across the state.

They also claim that Siddaramaiah commands the respect of the Alpsankhyak Hindulida Dalit (AHINDA) group, which plays a crucial role in the elections.

The Shivakumar camp maintains that it is due to his efforts that the Congress party is in the position of winning the elections. After the BJP's 'Operation Lotus' and the collapse of the Congress-JD (S) government, the Congress office was literally deserted. Shivakumar stood alone and galvanized the party workers and kept their spirits up.

His loyalists also mention that the influential Vokkaliga vote bank will shift to him from former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda's family. Shivakumar hailing from Vokkaliga community, had made appeals to the Vokkaliga community that after 20 years he is being projected as the CM candidate by the Congress party and they should extend their support to him in the way they supported Deve Gowda and H.D. Kumaraswamy.

The high command is treading cautiously while distributing tickets to the MLAs considering the high stakes for the post of CM. The alleged statement by Siddaramaiah about the high command not considering Shivakumar for the post of CM has stirred a big controversy.

Both the leaders came together in Delhi to clarify on the issue and Siddaramaiah denied the statement outrightly. Shivakumar said he knows the heart of Siddaramaiah. However, sources said that it is only a matter of time that the differences between the two leaders come out in the open.

Sources in the Congress revealed that Siddaramaiah will have to fight Congress leaders rather than the BJP to win over Varuna constituency.