Cong Govt in K'taka: 2 Years of Triumphs and Tribulations

As the Congress government in Karnataka gears up for celebrations on May 20 to mark the completion of two years in office, the last 12 months were perhaps the most grueling of Siddaramaiah's seven years as chief minister, including the five years of his first tenure from 2013-2018.

- RAMU PATIL Assistant Resident Editor

Although his administration's image took a beating, the CM, constantly in crisis control mode, successfully weathered many storms and consolidated his position in the government and party. Similarly, Deputy CM and State Congress president DK Shivakumar also withstood attempts to weaken his position in the party while keeping alive his ambition to helm the state.

The Congress, which reclaimed power with a thumping majority in May 2023 on an anti-corruption plank, faced a barrage of allegations. The CM was in the eye of the storm over the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) allocating sites to his wife in a prime residential locality in Mysuru. He is fighting the legal battle long after his wife returned the sites to avoid further embarrassment to the CM and the government. Many in the government felt the issue could have been handled in a much better manner to minimize the damage caused to Siddaramaiah's image.

The spin-off of the MUDA controversy was the confrontation between the government and Raj Bhavan. The Congress was miffed over Governor Thawarachand Gehlot's decision to sanction Siddaramaiah's prosecution in the MUDA case. The confrontation lingers on over different issues as Congress accuses Raj Bhavan of doing the BJP's bidding.