S. A. Hemanth
Bengaluru, May 15: The atmosphere in the residence of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge as well as Sonia Gandhi on Monday evening was tense.
An eerie silence prevailed in AICC headquarters. Leaders were sitting with their fingers crossed.
This, rather, unusual scene in the Congress party was due to two developments. First, KPCC President D. K. Shivakumar cancelled his visit to Delhi in the late evening.
“I am ill. I am sick. I am indisposed. I will decide tomorrow about my coming to Delhi,” Shivakumar conveyed it to Kharge.
Second and devastating message was, “ID – ID” meaning “I delivered; I deserve”
This second message, rather, sent the top leadership into tizzy unable to decide the future step in choosing the CLP leader who would become the Chief Minister.
Congress sources told The Newz Peg late evening that Shivakumar has ultimately agreed to go to Delhi and participate in the decision-making process on Tuesday.
Already the Grand Old Party has wasted precious 36 hours after the results were declared. The GoP has won 136 seats out of 224 in the May 10 elections.
The choice of Chief Minister, however, has become a ticklish issue with both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar clamoring for the coveted post.
Shivakumar rightly and richly deserves the CM post given his tireless efforts in terms of physical and mental exercise as well as evolving a winnable strategy. But the CBI cases against him are standing between him and the CM’s post.
It is a matter of curiosity as to how the Congress high command wriggles out of this potentially explosive and tricky situation.
EOM
