Congress brass caught in Sidda-DKS shadow fight for Karnataka CM chair

BENGALURU/TUMAKURU: Congress high command is under fire for its handling of the row over demands for a change at the helm of its govt in Karnataka, with critics accusing it of failing to address infighting.
The tug-of-war for the top job between chief minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar, which was until now in the shadows, is threatening to come out in the open.While Shivakumar is reportedly hopeful Siddaramaiah will relinquish his position midway through the govt's five-year term, Siddaramaiah has shown no inclination to step down.
While Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have said very little in public, supporters of the two have kept the fire burning with demands for more deputy CMs. This goes to the heart of the squabble which erupted soon after Congress' thumping victory in last year's assembly elections. When Shivakumar reportedly pushed for the CM post, party brass is said to have placated him with the exclusive position of deputy CM.
But now, those close to Siddaramaiah are demanding additional deputy CM posts - in what is seen as a bid to curb Shivakumar's influence in the part and govt - while Shivakumar's supporters want Siddaramaiah to quit and hand over the reins to the Kanakapura strongman.
This has created a challenging scenario for the party's central brass which, critics say, had merely watched from the sidelines.
"This lack of action is affecting governance as uncertainty continues to swirl. High command should engage with both functionaries and clarify the situation regarding a change and put an end to speculation," political analyst Vishwas Shetty said.
Psephologist Sandeep Shastri suggested that Congress brass is weighing its options given LS polls and emerging national trends.