Cong call rocks Siddu-Chiru tie

Cong high command calls Siddaramaiah. What will become of the proposed ties withu00a0 Prajarajyam now?

Siddaramiah's gamble seemed to have paid off.

The disgruntled Congress man, who was earlier with the JD(S), was debating between joining hands with Telugu star-turned-politician Chiranjeevi, and launching his own political outfit in the state.

While he was looking at all these options, Siddaramaiah was hoping that he would get a better deal within the Congress party.

Apparently there were fears that the potent Siddu-Chiru combo would uproot the Congress base in some strategic pockets. Siddaramaiah's Hyderabad rally put the Congress in a tizzy.
"I think the Congress high command has realised his potential and has shown signs of relenting," said a source close to him. "This time we are sure we will get what we wanted."

Dilli chalo

Siddaramaiah will leave for Delhi today and he is expected meet party president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday. The source said the meet was significant, as Sonia had called him personally. His close confidantes C M Ibrahim, H C Mahadevappa and Satish Jarakiholi will accompany him.

Siddaramiah, a crowd puller among backward classes, was sidelined in the party after he joined Congress quitting JD(S) following a tiff with his once-upon-a-time mentor H D Deve Gowda.

While he was wanted to become opposition leader in the assembly, the party high command had kept him without any significant position.

"The Chiranjeevi factor seems to have worked," said the source. "Otherwise, there was no sign of the party paying heed to our pleas."

KPCC chief?

The high command is expected to offer him the state Congress president post, while he has fixed his eyes firmly on the post of opposition leader.

"The high command expects him to lend an able leadership in the state to steer the party to victory in the upcoming parliamentary polls," said a Congress leader.

"Siddaramaiah should accept it and prove his mettle."

Opposition leader

However, a supporter said they would insist on making him opposition leader. But, the situation in the party does not seem conducive for the change.

"Opposition leader Mallikarjuna Kharge is a strong Dalit leader and it is not easy to displace him," said a Congress leader. "It would be easy for them to hand over party leadership in the state to him."

Incumbent president R V Deshpande said, "There is a chance that a major decision will be taken, and I am here to abide by it."