What's cooking? A lot on Cong's plate

INNER meetings are creating ripples in Congress. They've exposed fissures within the ruling party in Karnataka, requiring its central leadership's intervention to contain the damage.

- RAMU PATIL Assistant Resident Editor

As the internal power struggle became apparent, threatening to damage Congress and its government's image, the central leadership stepped in. A meeting of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes ministers and legislators called by Home Minister G Parameshwara was put off on the directions of AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala.

However, that did not bode well with a section of senior leaders who publicly expressed their displeasure. Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna, a staunch supporter of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, even questioned if the high command was "anti-SC/STs".

Many in the party believe that Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar pulled the strings in the national capital to put the brakes on dinner politics in Karnataka.

On the day Surjewala issued the directions to Parameshwara to put off the meeting, the Dy CM was in New Delhi. Just a day before that Shivakumar had launched Congress' "Pyari Didi" scheme—promising Rs 2,500/month for women if it comes to power—ahead of Delhi Assembly polls. He also talked about the Karnataka government's Guarantee schemes to lend credence to the party's claims in the national capital, where it is fighting a tough battle against AAP and BJP.