By-poll defeat : Congress paid price for factionalism

With the Congress facing a severe drubbing in Assembly by-polls, the party high command is veering round to the view that the setback for the party was mainly due to internecine factionalism among senior leaders.

The leadership has felt that the internal conflict was primarily former Chief Minister BJPversus others in the party.

A senior party functionary speaking to DH said the groupism was clearly visible with most other senior leaders taking a backseat during the entire campaign as it was virtually Siddaramaiah versus BJP, instead of Congress versus BJP. Had the party put up united fight, it would have won at least six to eight seats, the leader said.

With Siddaramaiah resigning from both posts—as Leader of Opposition as well as Leader of Congress Legislative Party and his loyalist Dinesh Gundu Rao also quitting as Pradesh Congress President post, the party is still wondering whether to accept the same or request them to continue.

Since the entire campaign was led by Siddaramaiah, except some of his loyalist including the KPCC president Gundu Rao, former Ministers Ramesh Kumar and Krishna Byregowda, most of the top leaders stayed away from playing an active role in the election

Though senior leaders like former Ministers G Parameshwara and D K Shivakumar were seen in some places, it was just a token presence, a party functionary said.

The problems cropped up after Siddaramaiah was able to get the party approval for the candidates list for the by-poll as per his desire despite strong opposition by a section of senior leaders. Other senior leaders had then openly made criticism of it, alleging they were ignored while finalising the candidates.

Despite the opposition by party veterans in the state, Congress top leadership made Siddaramaiah as Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Legislative Assembly, considering he was the only available mass leader with the highest popularity among workers.

The main grouse of old timers in the party against Siddaramaiah was that he was giving too much importance to leaders, who were came from the erstwhile Janata Dal instead of original Congress leaders.

While appointing as the Leader of Opposition, the party top brass did advise Siddaramaiah to take along all leaders, the division in the top rung of state party unit on a number of issues remained visible, said a leader.