Cong's Karnataka rift not over, BJP says ‘7-8 leaders competing to become CM’

Karnataka BJP chief BY Vijayendra claimed on Monday that the state's administrative machinery has "completely collapsed" due to the intensifying dispute within the state's ruling Congress party for the chief minister's post.

He said, "Seven to eight senior legislators and ministers in the ruling party are competing to somehow become the CM." Speaking to reporters in Sirsi, he stressed that this rivalry is directly responsible for the government's failures.

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Vijayendra made it clear, though, that despite the internal strife in Congress, the BJP has “no intentions to form the government” as voters gave a clear mandate to the Congress in 2023.

The BJP leader accused the Siddaramaiah government of neglecting farmers in particular. He said farmers are suffering due to rains and floods, yet the government has failed to provide assistance: “None of the ministers have visited affected areas or met farmers.” On the distribution of central aid, Vijayendra alleged a "conspiracy" by the Congress government. He said that to receive funds for central government schemes, the state must submit a progress report. He said that blaming the Centre to hide its own failures “has become a habit for them”.

The BJP's attack came a day after deputy CM DK Shivakumar dismissed the opposition's “narrative” of a deepening rift within the Congress.

Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress president, insisted there were no differences between himself and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Following a breakfast meeting with the CM intended to present a united front, Shivakumar told reporters, “Being the party president, I know my limits… Nowhere have I made any comments or expressed a difference of opinion with the CM."

Shivakumar emphasised that the government's focus is on working together for long-term political planning aimed at the 2028 assembly polls and the 2029 Lok Sabha election.

But the opposition dismissed the breakfast meeting as “political optics”. Union minister Pralhad Joshi argued that while a "ceasefire" appeared to be in place, the internal tension had “intensified”. "Political instability unseen anywhere else in the country is now in Karnataka," he said.

Also read | ‘2.5-year deal' haunts Congress, this time in Karnataka

Speculation over the leadership issue intensified after the Congress government completed half of its five-year term, linked to a purported promise for Shivakumar to take over after two-and-a-half years. The CM has maintained that he would serve the full five-year term. The leadership deadlock continues to generate pressure from influential community organisations backing Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah respectively.

(with inputs from news agency PTI)

Source: HindustanTimes
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