The Congress high command is all set to end senior leader Mr Siddaramaiah’s hibernation in the party by, in all likelihood, making him the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly.
AICC sources told Deccan Herald on Friday that Mr Siddaramaiah’s name was being considered for a senior position in the party like ‘working president’ or Leader of the Opposition. As KPCC president Mallikarjun Kharge was not in favour of having a working president, Mr Siddaramaiah could be replacing former Chief Minister Dharam Singh as Leader of the Opposition.
The announcement of Mr Siddaramaiah’s appointment along with the list of office-bearers of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee -- which has been pending for a long time -- is expected to be made soon after the Ullal byelection to be held on June 2.

UP polls effect
The Congress leadership has kicked itself into action after the party’s dismal performance in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and Ms Mayawati’s stunning victory.
Now it is worried about the BSP spreading its net wider and looking at Karnataka as a possible gateway to the South.
The disgruntled supporters of Mr Siddaramaiah -- who joined the Congress in September, 2006 amidst much hype -- have let it be known that if push came to shove, their leader would not be averse to reassessing all his options, including joining hands with the BSP in Karnataka.
They recall that Mr Siddaramaiah had sought and obtained Ms Mayawati’s indirect support during the fiercely fought Chamundeshwari byelection, where BSP did not put up a candidate.
The support turned out to be crucial as Mr Siddaramaiah won by a mere 257 votes. In the previous election, the BSP candidate had obtained around 5,000 votes.

‘Loyal Congman’
Mr Siddaramaiah has, however, maintained that he would remain a loyal Congressman and he was not interested in joining the BSP or any other party.
Mr B R Patil and Mr P Kodandaramaiah, two senior colleagues of Mr Siddaramaiah, who are currently in Delhi, have conveyed to the Congress high command their unhappiness at the “treatment” meted out to Mr Siddaramaiah ever since he joined the Congress. Though he did not attach any pre-conditions for his entry into Congress, Mr Siddaramaiah’s supporters are angry that he has not been given due importance in the party hierarchy, even after winning the Chamundeshwari byelection.
Though Mr Siddaramaiah has maintained cordial relations with both KPCC president Mallikarjun Kharge and Mr Dharam Singh,  he was reportedly annoyed with a recent KPCC circular to district units which indirectly asked party cadres to desist from “felicitation functions” which were largely being organised by Mr Siddaramaiah’s supporters in several parts of the State.
Mr Siddaramaiah is currently campaigning in Ullal along with other State leaders.
A sense of urgency has been attached to his ‘elevation’ with the possibility of an early poll as fissures have developed in the JD(S)-BJP coalition over transfer of power.