Bengaluru, Oct 5 (IANS): Karnataka Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, who has launched a poignant attack on the ruling BJP and RSS, has been called to the national capital by the Congress high command on Tuesday to discuss further strategies regarding state politics.
Sources said that Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi will also try to address the 'cold war' between Siddaramaiah and state President D.K. Shivakumar.
Sonia will also discuss strategies to intensify agitation in Karnataka against the incident of Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh.
Siddaramaiah will meet Sonia Gandhi at 12.30 p.m. Siddaramaiah has dubbed the BJP and RSS as Taliban and launched a scathing attack on the central leaders recently. Meanwhile, Shivakumar by organising a Bullock cart rally, bicycle rally and Tonga rally to protest against the fuel price hike and rise in the prices of daily commodities has successfully caught the attention of the people.
Opposition Congress even after putting up a good show, the workers are still in a state of confusion as there is a deep rift between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar camps. Both are aiming at the post of the Chief Minister in case the Congress party achieves a majority in the next Assembly elections.
The Congress has given a deadline of one month for implementation of the Mekedatu project, it is also demanding the implementation of a controversial caste census in the state. Siddaramaiah has established himself as a leader of the backward classes and can take on the BJP heavyweights. He has been reiterating his wish to become Chief Minister again.
Shivakumar, a loyal Congressman, targeted by the BJP for his bold actions, has been mobilizing all efforts to prove a point and get the coveted post. Shivakumar played a crucial role in carving out a coalition of the Congress and JD(S) parties in the state after the last Assembly elections.
Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa openly stated that opposition is quite strong in Karnataka and workers of the BJP have to work hard without depending on Prime Minister Narendra Modi wave alone in the state.
Sources in the Congress party said if the high command brings a truce between the warring factions of Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, they can effectively face the ruling BJP in the state and there will be good chances of getting a majority. Since, bypolls, Zilla and taluka panchayats are round the corner, the high command wants to see to it that they don't lose in elections in the backdrop of a tussle between the two leaders.