New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) Desperate to end its streak of electoral losses, the Congress party is proposing changes in the leadership in at least two state units. But leaders say they have to tread cautiously because the changes could intensify internal feuds.
Speculation is rife that Maharashtra Governor S.M. Krishna, who is desperate to return to active politics, may go to poll-bound Karnataka. Informed sources say that Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde is also likely to return to Maharashtra to replace Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.
“Krishna is most likely to move out of Maharashtra. He may either go to Karnataka or join the central cabinet,” said a senior party leader. Krishna took charge as the Maharashtra governor in November 2004.
But some party leaders warn that Krishna’s return would create more trouble in the faction-ridden Karnataka Congress.
“Krishna has lost touch with the state as he was away for some time. Besides, the current leaders in the state do not want him,” a Congress MP in the Rajya Sabha told IANS.
State Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is expected to vehemently oppose Krishna’s return to Karnataka politics.
“It is unlikely that the party high command would do anything that may antagonise Kharge, a Dalit leader. The Congress is badly in need of support from the Dalits there,” added the MP.
According to party sources, there may be major leadership changes in Maharashtra as well, with many in the Congress concluding that Deshmukh’s administration has been a failure.
The person expected to replace Deshmukh is Shinde, who lost the top post to Deshmukh in the last minute after the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) combine won the Maharashtra elections in October 2004.
“But it is still unclear whether Shinde’s re-entry will make significant changes to the party’s poll prospects in Maharashtra,” a Congress leader said.
There is also a possibility that DMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi, a Rajya Sabha MP, may get inducted into the central cabinet if Shinde does move over to Maharashtra.