Siddu to ‘spoil’ Congress party?

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Despite sweeping to victory in the BJP’s backyard of Udupi-Chikmagalur, the Congress is still grappling with dissension in its ranks with the first rumblings of discontent coming from Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Siddaramaiah who believes he has been ignored.

Ahead of the launch of a new initiative, Congressige Banni Badalaavane Tanni (Join Congress, bring about change), on Sunday to consolidate its position after the recent victory in the bypoll to the Lok Sabha constituency, top level sources in the party said the senior leader and his supporters were contemplating skipping the launch event in the outskirts of the city as they were irked about being kept out of the loop by Pradesh Congress Committee president Dr G. Parameshwar.

The leader has made it known that the focus of the party and his colleagues should be the drought-hit areas where the state government has been clearly found wanting. Siddaramaiah said he intends to stay away from the event and travel instead to north Karnataka as a demonstration of his ire. Mr Siddaramaiah also skipped the felicitation of former minister Jayaprakash Hegde on his recent success at Udupi-Chikmagalur.

Dr H.C. Mahadevappa, former minister and a trusted lieutenant of Mr Siddaramaiah, however, sought to play down differences. He told Deccan Chronicle that everyone would attend the event on Sunday. “After attending the inauguration, legislators might tour drought hit districts,” he added.