Karnataka - Mysore   

Kharge’s resignation evokes mixed response

M. Mallikarjun Kharge

Mysore: Stepping down of Mallikarjun Kharge from the post of Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly on the directions of the Congress high command to accommodate the former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is sure to create heartburn among Dalits and is likely to impact the poll prospects of Congress.

More than the discontentment among the Dalits, Congress leaders in Mysore region are worried that other political parties might make use of the opportunity and brand Congress as “anti-Dalit”.

They are of the opinion that party high command could have deferred the issue in view of its impact on the poll prospects of party and are cursing Mr. Siddaramaiah for pressurising leaders in the nick of the time.

According to them, Mr. Kharge’s resignation will not make Mr. Siddaramaiah the Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly immediately as it a meeting of Congress Legislative Party (CLP) has to be convened to elect Mr. Siddaraiamah as the leader officially.

“What was the need to ask Mr. Kharge to step down at this juncture? Transfer of power could have been made in normal course had Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Kharge behaved in a restrained manner,” said a senior leader on condition of anonymity.

He said that the party high command could have sorted out the issue long back had it made a strategic move by appointing Mr. Siddaramaiah as the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) in place of R.V. Deshpande and Mr. Kharge should have been retained as the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly.

“Untimely decision of the party is sure to affect the poll prospects to some extent,” he regretted.

However, senior Dalit leader in Congress, V. Srinivasa Prasad strongly defended the decision of the party high command and argued that party had not done any injustice to Mr. Kharge by asking him to step down. Party had taken the decision of seeking his resignation after consulting him and making him candidate from Gulbarga parliamentary constituency. “He is sure to become a Minister in the Union cabinet if United Progressive Alliance (UPA) comes to power at the Centre.

He has also been made in-charge of party affairs in Maharashtra besides making him member of the Congress Working Committee. After creating a suitable position for in the party, leaders asked him to resign from the post of Opposition Leader,” he asserted.

Mr. Prasad also said that Mr. Kharge would have become the Chief Minister had the party secured required number of seats.

It was unfortunate that party could not manage to get the magic number. But Dalit leaders are blaming Congress high command for embarrassing both a Dalit leader and a Backward Class leader. Speaking to The Hindu, Dalit leader and writer Indudhara Honnapura noted that the Congress high command acted with haste and created suffocating atmosphere by pitching Backward Class against Dalits. It did not show the wisdom of handling the situation carefully.

Had it offered a suitable position to Mr. Siddaramaiah after admitting him to the party, this kind of situation would not have arisen. Party made to a senior leader to wait indefinitely and antagonised Backward Classes, he noted.

However, another Dalit leader opined the development will not impact the prospects of Congress as Mr. Kharge himself wanted an elevation in the party and accepted the party’s offer to contest in the Lok Sabha election.

“Had Mr. Kharge had any reservation about leaving the post, he should not have accepted the offer. There is nothing wrong in Mr. Siddaramaiah seeking a suitable position. He has waited enough,” he observed.

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