War over 'full-time' state chief may compromise Congress prospects

Much to the chagrin of top Congress leaders, tussles within the party and reverberations over the need for a full-time president for the state unit continued even after their marathon meetings earlier this week.

- RAMU PATIL Assistant Resident Editor [e-mail]

The meetings failed to put an end to the differences and put up a show of unity. On the contrary, they seem to have aggravated it further.

The ministers, especially those from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's camp advocating the need for having a "full-time" president for the Congress state unit, landed the ruling party in a quagmire. While several ministers continue to take potshots, Deputy Chief Minister and President of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) DK Shivakumar seems to be in no mood to relinquish the party post.

As the state Congress chief and the DyCM with two key portfolios, Water Resources Department and Bengaluru Development, Shivakumar is a clear No. 2 in the government. He wields enormous power in the party and the administration. The call for a full-time president is seen as an effort to undercut the Congress' Vokkaliga strongman's authority. The ongoing tussle over the party post can be seen as a precursor to the bigger fight for the CM's post if the high command decides to effect the change in leadership in Karnataka.