Congress reins in Siddaramaiah, sends Mallikarjun Kharge to douse fire

Bengaluru: The Congress high command appears to have decided to cut former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to size following his recent attempts to stir up trouble for the  Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition government where he has had to take a backseat, through allegedly leaked videos showing him opposing a fresh budget. Instead of inviting him to discuss his grouses with it,  the party leadership has reportedly asked him to talk things over  with Congress leader in the Lok Sabha,  M. Mallikarjun Kharge. 

It has reportedly not taken kindly to the two videos aired by television channels showing  Mr Siddaramaiah objecting to the presentation of a new budget and being sceptical about the longevity of the coalition government. When speaking to reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday,  Mr Kharge had said that he would meet Mr Siddaramaiah soon to discuss the issues worrying him without making it obvious that he was doing so on the instructions of the high command.

While admitting that he had seen the videos in question, the senior Congress leader, however, claimed that he was not sure of their authenticity.  Only after meeting Mr Siddaramaiah would he be in a position to speak on the issue, Mr Kharge said. But the former Chief Minister could not have missed the message sent by the party high command as in having to report to Mr Kharge he is now clearly being given even less importance than him.  

His recent attempts to flex his muscles appear to have cost him the primacy he was given   over the last five years, according to sources in the Congress party. But they also note that the high command has no other option but to depute Mr Kharge to do some fire fighting with K.C. Venugopal, All-India Congress Committe general secretary  in- charge of  Karnataka, being too much of a political lightweight to tame the likes of Mr Siddaramaiah.