Watchgate, panchayat poll debacle: Siddaramaiah in a spot?

Bengaluru: The Congress party’s poor performance in recent elections and  embarrassing questions over his ultra expensive wristwatch appear to have put Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in a tight spot 34 months into his government.

There’s even buzz  about a  change of leadership in the state with AICC general secretary, B. K. Hariprasad, hinting on a television channel that the high command has set in motion a process of consultation on whether or not to bring in a change of guard in Karnataka.

With both the Chief Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, Dr G. Parameshwara rushing to Delhi, the buzz has become only stronger.  But a senior leader from Delhi said, “Nobody knows what exactly the party’s central leadership is thinking. 

AICC general secretary, Digvijay Singh, who has been protecting Mr Siddaramaiah for quite a while,  is considered  close to both Congress president, Sonia Gandhi and vice-president, Rahul Gandhi. So he will not allow other camps to harm his interests in Delhi.”  

While in Delhi Mr Siddaramaiah reportedly explained in detail about his expensive wristwatch to almost all leaders who mattered and  Dr Parameshwar, gave a report on why the party had not done as well as expected in the  Zilla and Taluk Panchayat elections. Both leaders did not meet Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, however.

“Many Congress leaders from the state too have begun meeting the party’s national leaders to explain the  factors responsible for its not so great performance  in their respective districts in the panchayat elections. But they are being tightlipped about their visits,” said party insiders, however adding that  the national leadership was seriously looking into why the Congress had not done as well as expected  in the three major elections held after it came to power in Karnataka.