'Plaint' against Siddaramaiah's show of strength on Dec 5

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is all set to flex his muscles at a massive convention being organised by his fans next week even as a ‘complaint’ lodged with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused him of political manoeuvring outside the party’s framework.

The complaint, purportedly penned by an unidentified Congress leader, was sent to Kharge’s office late on Thursday evening, accusing the Siddaramaiah camp of holding its own caucus without involving the party’s symbol.

On December 5, a body of organisations representing ‘oppressed communities’ is organising the ‘Siddaramaiah Swabhimaani Janandolana Samavesha’ at Hassan, the native of JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda.

The event aims to mobilise support for Siddaramaiah, who is facing a court-ordered investigation into the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment scam, which has dented his 'Mr Clean' image.

Politically, the December 5 event is being seen as Siddaramaiah’s plan to galvanise his Ahinda (minorities, backward classes and Dalits) support base and deliver a message to his detractors in a bid to remain as the CM amid speculation over a power-sharing agreement with his deputy DK Shivakumar.

The show of strength in Hassan could become the sequel of Siddaramaiah’s August 2022 birthday bash (billed as Siddaramotsava) at Davangere, which drew lakhs of people and set the tone for the 2023 Assembly polls that the Congress swept.

Right on the heels of the anonymous complaint, Siddaramaiah and others clarified Friday that the Hassan event will be held jointly by the oppressed communities’ body and the Karnataka Congress.

“The (event) will be held under the aegis of the KPCC and the Swabhimanigala Okkuta. I’ve told Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Randeep Singh Surjewala about the event. I’ve invited Surjewala and (Shivakumar) to the event,” Siddaramaiah said.

The complaint, whose veracity could not be independently verified by DH, charged Siddaramaiah with using various organisations to hold events outside the party’s symbol, citing the 2022 Davangere event as an example.

“Congress workers are disappointed that Siddaramaiah, a few ministers and MLAs -- all elected under the party’s symbol -- are organizing the (Hassan) event by keeping the government and party at bay,” the complaint stated, seeking Kharge’s intervention with a warning that the the party's future could be at risk if all leaders started holding events for “individual gains”.

The complainant pointed out that the Hassan event was being planned by Congress leaders at the party's office. "And, what's Siddaramaiah's intention in keeping away the party, which gave him power, from events concerning him?"

Shivakumar said Siddaramaiah told him about the event. "The party's presence will always be there," he said.

Siddaramaiah's son Dr Yathindra, an MLC, said the letter addressed to Kharge "may be fake" and maintained that the Hassan event has "the party's permission and support".