'Didn't expect such helplessness from CM': K N Rajanna rues Siddaramaiah not 'standing by his loyalists'

Rajanna was sacked from the Cabinet last year ostensibly for criticising Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'vote chori' campaign. Before and after his sacking, Rajanna has remained a vocal critic of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

Bengaluru: Senior Congress lawmaker K N Rajanna on Friday publicly rebuked Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for having become ‘helpless’ and not standing by his loyalists who have faced action within the party.

"People are saying that Siddaramaiah's supporters are being targeted," Rajanna, counted among the CM's confidants, told reporters.

"People who are loyal to Congress and want the party to grow and do good work are facing conspiracies. We expect the CM to stand strong during such circumstances. He's not doing that and we're disappointed," Rajanna said.

Rajanna, the Madhugiri MLA who belongs to the Valmiki (ST) community and is one of Siddaramaiah's confidants, was sacked from the Cabinet last year ostensibly for criticising Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'vote chori' campaign. Before and after his sacking, Rajanna has remained a vocal critic of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

"I don't know what (Siddaramaiah) has on his mind. I don't know what compulsions he has. We didn't expect such helplessness from the CM," Rajanna said.

Asked who rendered Siddaramaiah helpless, Rajanna said: "I won't say who. You can make your guess."

Recent disciplinary actions against Congress MLCs Naseer Ahmed (he was sacked as the CM's political secretary) and Abdul Jabbar (he has been suspended from the party) have rocked the state's poltiics. Both of them are Siddaramaiah's men and are accused of trying to sabotage the party's election effort in the April 9 Davangere South bypoll. The developments have also created the notion that Shivakumar is gaining the upper hand in his one-upmanship with Siddaramaiah.

Rajanna asked why Shivakumar was 'getting away' without action. He repeated his argument that Shivakumar attending 'Sadhguru' Jaggi Vasudev's event -- despite the spiritual guru mocking Rahul Gandhi -- amounted to indiscipline.

"Our AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge asked if taking a dip in the Ganga during the Maha Kumbh would end poverty in the country. After that, you [Shivakumar] go and take a dip. It's okay to be religious. But you complimented (Uttar Pradesh CM) Yogi Adityanath for good arrangements," Rajanna said.

Rajanna also pointed to Shivakumar attending the wedding of billionnaire businessman Mukesh Ambani's son even as Rahul Gandhi turned down the invitation.

"Forging friendships with enemies...the party must observe these things," Rajanna said.