Siddaramaiah’s birthday bash: Congress MP chants ‘collective leadership’ mantra

Congress MP D K Suresh said Wednesday the party will fight the 2023 Assembly election under “a collective leadership” in what was seen as a taunt to senior leader Siddaramaiah’s supporters who want to project him as the chief ministerial face.

Suresh’s reiteration came even as former minister HC Mahadevappa said plans are afoot to organise Siddaramaiah's 75th birthday in a big way, which is believed to be a conduit to make him look like the obvious choice for the chief minister’s job should the party win next year.

“Congress will go with a collective leadership,” Suresh, the Bangalore Rural MP, said. He is the brother of Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar, who is also a contender to become CM.

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“There are many who want to be CM. Ramalinga Reddy, for example, is a 7-time MLA. There’s RV Deshpande. There’s KPCC president DK Shivakumar. Mallikarjun Kharge, a senior leader, is there. There’s G Parameshwara, MB Patil...there are many seekers,” Suresh said.

Suresh pointed out that Siddaramaiah served as the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader for ten years before becoming the chief minister. “Some say he should become the CM again,” he said. “Anyone can become the CM.”

Meanwhile, Mahadevappa said Siddaramaiah’s fans, friends, and well-wishers want to celebrate his birthday in August and add strength to the Congress.

“We're still thinking about this. We will discuss it with Siddaramaiah first. After he approves, we will decide on what is to be done,” Mahadevappa, a Siddaramaiah loyalist, said.

“We’re trying to bring the Congress back to power. Siddaramaiah is a statesman, a cultural leader and socialist. We want to showcase his political career, struggles, administration and pro-people stance and strengthen the Congress,” he said.

Mahadevappa and other Siddaramaiah loyalists are planning a massive convention at Davangere on August 3. They are also planning a month-long ‘Siddaramotsava’ across the state in what could become a show of strength.

It is no secret that Siddaramaiah is nursing an ambition to become chief minister for a second term, much to the chagrin of Shivakumar and other leaders.