“Mysuru mein Congress rally ke dauran, CM ne kaha ki wo ‘na to jhukenge, na hi chale jayenge’, ek din pehle ke Opposition ke march ke bawajood jo unki resignation ki demand kar raha tha MUDA ‘scam’ ko lekar.”
Karnataka mein Congress aur Chief Minister Siddaramaiah ke liye ek popular kahawat sach ho rahi hai: “Politics mein ek hafta kaafi lamba hota hai.” Siddaramaiah ne recent crisis se nikal kar apni position ko majbooti se pakad liya hai, jo unki CM position ko khatre mein daal raha tha.
Shuruat mein, jab Opposition BJP aur Janata Dal (Secular) ne Bengaluru se Mysuru tak ek protest march shuru kiya, jo unke wife Parvathi ko 14 Mysuru housing plots allot karne ke allegations ke khilaf tha, Siddaramaiah ki CM position pe khade rehne ki umeed kam lag rahi thi. Lekin, Friday ko, jab protest march Mysuru mein pohncha, Siddaramaiah ne crisis ko successfully tackle kiya aur apni position ko bachaye rakha.
1 August ko, CM ne Cabinet meeting se alag hokar apne Deputy CM D K Shivakumar ko responsibilities sambhalne diye the, jab Governor Thaavar Chand Gehlot ne MUDA ke land allotments ko lekar notice diya tha. Lekin Friday ko, Mysuru mein Congress rally ke dauran, Siddaramaiah apni purani form mein nazar aaye.
Congress rally mein, jo Opposition ke resignation demand ke khilaf thi, Siddaramaiah ne keh diya ki wo “na to jhukenge, na hi chale jayenge.” Congress leadership ne Siddaramaiah ko support karne aur land allotment issue ko court mein ladne ka faisla kiya hai, aur ab Siddaramaiah political stability wapas paate nazar aa rahe hain.
Pichle hafte Siddaramaiah ke possible exit ko le kar unke supporters kaafi udas the, lekin Friday ko unhone kaha ki CM abhi bhi majbooti se apni position mein hain, kyunki unke khilaf campaign “misfire” ho gaya hai aur unhe aur majboot bana diya hai.
**Festive Offer:**
“Kabhi-kabhi jab aap kisi ko kamzor karne ki koshish karte hain, wo aur bhi majboot ho jata hai. Is situation mein, Siddaramaiah ne aur bhi majboot hokar nikalne mein safal hue hain. Politics mein aisa hota hai jab misfire ho jata hai,” Satish Jarkiholi, Siddaramaiah ke close associate aur Congress minister for public works, ne kaha.
“Unka (Siddaramaiah) exit ka koi sawaal nahi hai. Is desh mein hazaron log hain jin par cases hain aur wo ministers hain. Jab ministers ke against cases hain aur wo resign nahi karte, to Karnataka mein resignation ka sawaal hi nahi uthta,” Jarkiholi ne add kiya.
Siddaramaiah ki resurgence ko unke deputy aur state Congress chief Shivakumar ke liye ek temporary setback ke roop mein dekha ja raha hai. Shivakumar, jo Siddaramaiah ki jagah lene ka sapna dekh rahe the, ne crisis ke dauran CM ke support ko rally kiya, lekin ab unki galtiyon ka faida Siddaramaiah ko mil gaya hai.
**Congress Backing:**
Ek badi wajah Siddaramaiah ki comeback ki Congress leadership ka support hai, jo reportedly CM ko Delhi mein ek private meeting mein pull up kiya tha lekin CM ko replace nahi kiya. Congress leadership ne CM aur Deputy CM ko BJP aur JD(S) ke saath “adjustment politics” khatam karne aur Opposition leaders ke khilaf corruption aur criminal cases ko highlight karne ko kaha. Mysuru rally mein, Siddaramaiah ne Opposition leaders par counter-attack kiya aur unke against cases cite kiye.
Congress leadership ne CM ko replace karne ke bare mein socha tha, lekin Siddaramaiah ke backward class leader hone ke karan yeh decision nahi liya. Replacing him party ko backfire kar sakta hai, jo OBCs, including CM ke Kuruba community, se major support paati hai.
**Jarkiholi Factor:**
Shivakumar ko Siddaramaiah ka obvious replacement mana jata hai, lekin unki “domineering nature” aur Congress ministers aur MLAs ka support na milna Siddaramaiah ko strengthen kar raha hai. Shivakumar ko kuch Opposition leaders, jaise JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy, ke dwara Siddaramaiah ke against allegations ke piche se dekhna bhi unko harder work karne par majboor kar raha hai.
Karnataka mein speculation chal rahi hai ki Shivakumar ka Opposition campaign se fayda uthane ka plan ban raha tha, aur Shivakumar ke purane foes, jaise Jarkiholi brothers aur Kumaraswamy, ek saath aane ki baat chal rahi thi.
Siddaramaiah par allegations ke dauran, reports thi ki Satish Jarkiholi ne Kumaraswamy se Delhi mein mulaqat ki. “Aise reports hain lekin confirm nahi hain. Congress high command ko leadership change se Karnataka mein situation bigadne ka dar hai,” government sources ne kaha.
2019 mein Congress aur JD(S) ke 17 MLAs ke BJP mein chhodne se Kumaraswamy ka coalition government gir gaya tha. Us rebellion ka ek leader Satish Jarkiholi ka bhai Ramesh tha, jo ab BJP MLA hain.
Siddaramaiah ke exit ke speculations ke beech, Jarkiholi brothers ne Belagavi mein unse mulaqat ki. Satish ne is meeting ko flood-related bataya aur Shivakumar ke allegations ke piche hone ko reject kiya. “Congress mein hum nahi maante ki (Shivakumar) MUDA allegations ke piche hain. CM ka change ka koi sawaal nahi hai. Hum isse legal fight karenge aur hum unke saath hain,” unhone kaha.
Satish, jo Shivakumar ke dwara Siddaramaiah ke support mein organize kiye gaye meetings mein shamil nahi hue the, Friday ko Mysuru rally mein maujood the, jahan Congress ka crisis kam hota nazar aaya.
“Opposition BJP aur JD(S) ko ek achhi government ko encourage karna chahiye. Aapke protests ke zariye aapne indirectly Siddaramaiah aur government ko aur majboot bana diya hai,” Jarkiholi ne Friday ko kaha.
Satish, jo Shivakumar ke dwara Siddaramaiah ke support mein organize kiye gaye meetings mein shamil nahi hue the, Friday ko Mysuru rally mein maujood the. Is rally mein Congress ka crisis abhi thik hota dikhayi diya.
“Opposition BJP aur JD(S) ko ek achhi government ko encourage karna chahiye. Aapke protests se aapne indirectly Siddaramaiah aur government ko aur majboot bana diya hai,” Jarkiholi ne Friday ko kaha.
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Jab Congress circles mein politics wapas normal hoti nazar aayi, state cooperation minister K N Rajanna, jo Siddaramaiah-Satish ke close associate hain aur Shivakumar ke khilaf comment karne ke liye jane jaate hain, ne kaha ki Satish future mein CM candidate ho sakte hain. “Satish Jarkiholi ka Siddaramaiah ya Congress ke khilaf hone ki koi baat nahi hai. Satish Jarkiholi bhi humare (Nayak-Valmiki Scheduled Tribe) community ke leader hain. Unhone community ke liye bahut kaam kiya hai. Aage chal kar agar wo state administration ki reins sambhalte hain to ye koi surprise nahi hoga,” Rajanna ne kaha.