All Is Not Well With Karnataka Politics

N Karnataka, three issues have been grabbing headlines in the last few days: first, the internecine battle in the ruling Congress as well as in the opposition BJP; second, the gold smuggling scandal involving a film actress that has alleged links to two cabinet ministers; and third, the attempt to honey-trap a senior minister of the Siddaramaiah government and his son, who is a member of the state legislative council.

- B S ARUN

In the gold smuggling scandal, the police have arrested two persons, actor Ranya Rao and her friend Tarun Raju. Authorities say more arrests are likely. Rao's stepfather, a senior IPS officer, has been sent on compulsory leave. Central investigative agencies have taken over the case. This scandal has also exposed Dubai-Bengaluru as a prime route for gold smuggling.

The internal strife between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivaumar over sharing power has been going on almost since the Congress government took charge in the state in the middle of 2023. The group supporting Siddaramaiah has demanded that DKS, as Shivakumar is widely called, step down as president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). Hardly a week passes without some Congress leader or the other making a statement in favour of or against the power-sharing formula.

As per the formula proposed at the time of swearing in, Siddaramaiah would rule for the first two-and-a-half years, and then, DKS would take over. However, no one from the Congress high command has come out openly on this so far. It must be maintained that despite the power struggle, the CM and deputy CM have shown utmost cordiality in public.