Ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s entry into Karnataka for the nationwide Bharat Jodo Yatra, the two prominent camps in the state Congress is now engaged in proxy wars after a brief lull. The bitter taste left after Siddaramostava, to mark the 75th birthday of Siddaramaiah has now resumed with KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar challenging leaders from opposite camp to match up to his speed.
Earlier this week, replying to reporters who quizzed him about dissenting voices coming from Siddaramaiah camp for being kept out of committees formed to carry out duties related to the yatra, Shivakumar hit out saying, I can’t help those who cry and find fault for everything. This is not my yatra or Siddaramaiah’ programme, it is our beloved leader Rahul Gandhi’s yatra to unite India. Let them match up to my speed. I don’t have time and there is so much to be done.’’ The main organiser of Siddaramostava, former industries minister R.V. Dehspansde has questioned Shivakumar over bringing 5,000 people in their respective constituencies and also certain unilateral decisions to which, DKS saidin five years if you cannot mobilise 5,000 people for your top leader then I wonder what kind of leaders they are,’’ he had quipped taking a veiled dig at Deshpande.
Speaking to The Daily Guardian, sources in the Congress said the whole yatra is very important for Karnataka and in this round of personality crash, Siddaramaiah is upset that he is deliberately sidelined by DKS while the other camp is saying the former is not showing any enthusiasm about the yatra.
“Siddaramaiah didn’t come to Kanyakumari when the Yatra kicked off, till date he has not attended any meeting related to Yatra. He is happily going to Vidhana Soudha to attend the winter session. Does he need an invitation to attend meetings related to the party? He has to take initiative, ‘’ said Congress sources.
“The yatra has to pass through 500 odd km in the state, it requires mobilisation of huge resources be it money or men. The responsibilities lay with the Pradesh president and t is time to join hands and help him. The game of oneupmanship all the time is not in the interests of the party,’’ he said adding that committees have been formed for logistics, food, accommodation, coordination etc. and leaders from across the state have been made heads of these committees. “On Wednesday, Deshpande has been made head of the yatra committee what else should be done to pacify the rebel camp,’’ a Shivakumar loyalist questioned.
The yatra is going to be an opportunity to showcase the strength of leaders in their region – Siddaramaiah, H.C. Mahadevappa in Mysore and Mandya, Ramalinga Reddy, Dinesh Gundu Rao, K.J. George in Bengaluru; Dr G Parameshwar in Tumkur, Shyamanmur Shivshankrappa in Davangere, M B Patil and Satish Jarkiholi in North Karnataka. On the whole, the 500 km yatra will be a huge platform for DKS as it puts to test his organisational skills to test and gives Shivakumar a shot in the arm as he will be walking with Rahul.