By Rakesh Mohan Chaturvedi, IANS
New Delhi : Factional feuds seem to be the biggest threat plaguing the Congress in Karnataka ahead of the assembly elections expected in April or May. With several contenders for the post of chief minister, the party has decided not to name any chief ministerial candidate.
The infighting has even put off for the moment the threat from an upbeat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the southern state, currently under President’s rule.
“Before we take on the BJP we have to bring together the various factions within our own party,” said a senior Congress leader. Senior party leaders here have been holding informal discussions to sort out the mess in Karnataka and put the party in election gear.
Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office and Congress general secretary Prithviraj Chavan told newspersons Thursday: “We are looking at the issues (in Karnataka) and sorting out matters before the elections.” He refused to divulge any details.
In order to control the factional feuds, the Congress has decided not to name any chief ministerial candidate ahead of the elections. “There are at least five contenders for the post within the party,” said a source.
The factional feuds will also create problems for the party in deciding its candidates for the polls, as each faction will clamour for more seats.
S.M. Krishna, former chief minister of Karnataka and now governor of Maharashtra, has shown interest in going back to his home state. “He has sent strong feelers that he wants to be relieved of the governorship as soon as possible and lead the party in Karnataka,” said a senior Congress leader here.
H.D. Deve Gowda, Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) head, has accused the Congress of making efforts to poach its leader M.P. Prakash, to weaken his party. Disagreeing with this, Congress general secretary Oscar Fernandes said: “Prakash has expressed his wish to join us. It is we who have to decide whether to take him or not”.
Party sources said Congress leader C.K. Jaffer Sharif is opposed to the induction of Prakash, who is keeping his cards close to his chest. “We are aware that Prakash is also talking to other parties,” Congress sources stated.
Meanwhile, diehard Congress members in Karnataka have said that the “migrant” members – those who left the party in the past and then walked back – should not be treated at par with the loyalists. The most prominent among the migrants is Siddaramaiah, former deputy chief minister, who left the Congress but is now back. His supporters have refused to buy the “migrant versus loyalist” argument.
The party faces an uphill task that has been made more difficult by the BJP.
The latter is hopeful of forming the next government in the state. “This time we will come to power on our own steam,” said Prakash Javadekar, BJP spokesperson.