Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar briefly meet Rahul Gandhi amid power tussle in Karnataka
Mysuru (PTI): Congress top leader Rahul Gandhi's brief conversation with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and his deputy and another claimant for the CM's chair D K Shivakumar, has sparked off speculations, amid the ongoing power tussle between the two.
The brief talk between the leaders took place on the tarmac, as Gandhi landed at the Mandakalli Airport here for transit, on his way back to New Delhi from Gudalur in Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu, where he attended an event, party sources said.
The former AICC president had brief conversations with Siddaramaiaah and Shivakumar both separately and together.
Gandhi, in fact, transited this airport at Mysuru, twice on Tuesday.
First while on his way to Gudalur earlier in the day, and then while heading back to New Delhi. Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were present at the airport both the times.
Though it is not clearly known as to what transpired between the three, speculations are rife amid the struggle for CM post between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. Also amid talks of possible Cabinet rejig.
Some party sources also said the leaders discussed Congress' "Save MGNREGA" campaign in the state, and the measures being taken by the party's government here, in demanding that the Centre restore the UPA-era legislation.
The quick conversation with Gandhi came even as Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were expecting an appointment with the Congress top leader.
While Siddaramaiah is pushing for a reshuffle of his Cabinet, Shivakumar wants the party to first decide on leadership change, according to party sources.
According to several party insiders, if the Congress high command approves the Cabinet reshuffle, it would signal that the incumbent chief minister Siddaramaiah will complete the full five years term, which will scuttle the chances of Shivakumar from occupying the coveted post.
However, as per some leaders, the party may also keep in mind upcoming polls in several states, while deciding on the leadership change in Karnataka, which is one among the two big states where Congress is in power independently.
The leadership tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about a possible change of chief minister after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.
The speculation has been fuelled by the reported "power-sharing" arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar at the time of the government's formation in 2023.
Siddaramaiah earlier in the day had dismissed media speculation about a possible change in the state's leadership, reiterating that he will abide by the Congress high command's decision.
Speaking to reporters after briefly meeting Gandhi at the airport, in the afternoon, he said there was no confusion within the party regarding leadership issues. He clarified that he did not hold any political discussions with Gandhi during the meeting.
Siddaramaiah, who became the longest-serving chief minister of the state, surpassing the record held by Devaraj Urs last week, had expressed confidence that he will complete the full five-year term. However, he had maintained that the final decision rests with the Congress high command.
Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, on Sunday said his hard work had brought him this far in politics and that he was confident about the Congress party's future decision regarding him.
His remarks are being seen as an assertion of his chief ministerial ambitions.
There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister's post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May 2023, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy CM.
There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational chief minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years, but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.
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BJP repealed MGNREGA as they have 'allergy' to Mahatma Gandhi’s name: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Centre, alleging that the MGNREGA was repealed out of "allergy" to Mahatma Gandhi’s name.
He also called for sustained, people-led agitation until the law is restored and the new VB-G Ram G Act is withdrawn.
The CM alleged that the BJP "killed" Mahatma Gandhi as the RAM in the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee Rozgar and Ajivika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) represents Nathuram Godse, the "killer" of Gandhi, and not Lord Rama.
Addressing a preparatory meeting of the Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Scheme Bachao Sangram, organised by the Congress state unit here, Siddaramaiah said the struggle must continue "until MGNREGA is reinstated and the VB-G Ram G Act is repealed," urging party workers to turn it into a mass movement from the village to the state level.
The chief minister said, "The Centre has scrapped the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and brought in a new law called VB-G RAM G. Mahatma Gandhi’s name itself causes them an allergy."
He said the issue was discussed seriously at the recent All India Congress Committee (AICC) executive committee meeting, which viewed the scrapping of MGNREGA as a grave matter.
Drawing parallels with farmers’ protests in north India, Siddaramaiah said a similar sustained movement was needed to force changes in laws. He recalled that MGNREGA was enacted during Manmohan Singh’s tenure to make the right to work a basic right for the rural poor.
"Along with employment guarantee, landmark laws like the Right to Food, Right to Information, Right to Education and Forest Rights Act were introduced to address unemployment, hunger and the problems of forest dwellers," he said.
The CM noted that the scheme, which had been in force for nearly 20 years, had provided employment to 12.16 crore workers across the country, including 6.21 crore women.
Criticising the replacement of law, Siddaramaiah alleged that the Modi government had diluted workers’ rights.
"Earlier, rural workers could demand work for up to 365 days in their own villages and even approach courts if work was denied. Now, the Centre decides through notifications where people should work," he said.
Taking a swipe, he remarked, "This is not Dasharatha Ram or Sita Ram or Kaushalya Ram. This is Nathuram — the one who killed Mahatma Gandhi. Through VB-G RAM G, Gandhi is being killed once again."
Siddaramaiah also objected to the increased financial burden on states, stating that states now have to bear 40 per cent of the cost, forcing Karnataka alone to spend around Rs 2,500 crore.
"That is why we have launched the MGNREGA Bachao Andolan. It must transform into a people’s movement," he said.
Addressing the gathering, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar alleged that the Centre will decide the works and not the villages.
According to him, no state government will accept it. Even the BJP ruled states will not implement the scheme.
"Due to the VB-G RAM G, Panchayats will not be allowed to carry out works. After losing works worth Rs one crore to Rs two crore, what is left with the Panchayats," Shivakumar, who is also Congress state president, asked.
He asked his party cadres to hold meetings in every corner of the state to spread awareness about repealing the MGNREGA.
In his address, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge said, the BJP hates Mahatma Gandhi so much that they abolished the law and snatched the livelihood of poor people in the rural areas.
He also preferred calling the new scheme as "VB-Gram G" and not VB-G RAM G as the BJP has called it.
"For us, the livelihood of people is important, not the name of the scheme, but the BJP wants to trap us between the names of Gandhi Ji and Ram. We should not go for that fight. You name whatever you want, but give our villagers employment. If needed, we will change the name of the scheme once our government comes to power," Kharge, son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, said.
According to him, the "VB-Gram G" has been introduced to align it with PM Gati Shakti national master plan.
