Karnataka Congress in upbeat mood following DK Shivakumar’s release

DK Shivakumar, Man Friday of the All India Congress Committee(AICC), former Power Minister in the short lived HD Kumaraswamy led Janata Dal-Secular(JD-S) Indian National Congress(INC) supported alliance government is on the cross roads of his political career now due to the drilling by Enforcement Directorate(ED) officials over money laundering cases.

During deliberations in the state Assembly over the crucial trial of strength of BS Yediyurappa led Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) government a couple of months back, he himself had expressed apprehension about his imminent arrest sooner or later. He had also declared on the occasion that he is not scared to go to the jail if the consequences warrant him to do so.

Well on that day he made use of the opportunity to dwell in detail with the help of several bunch of files and notings on blank papers to claim himself to be relentless fighter in the interests of the Congress party and it’s not all that easy to be cowed down.

All those onlookers curious enough to hear him talk over the vote of confidence motion had to be content by listening to his self proclaimed ups and downs in public life and how he has crossed over all the odd bridges on the way to reach the current status.

However, in due course of time all his utterances didn’t remain so on ground as he appeared like a terrifically let down person following his arrest and being put behind the bars later.

On the other hand the Congress leader’s arrest led to law and order woes for a few days in the state and more so in the old Mysuru region in the Southern part of the state having a sizeable population of the Vokkaliga community to which he incidentally belongs to.

Interestingly a massive protest on behalf of the Vokkaligara Sangha, the community organization was called in the city. People from different districts were roped in large numbers to attend the rally addressed by the community leaders -belonging to Congress, JD-S, pro Kannada organizations and a swamiji.

But HD Devegowda  and HD Kumaraswamy remained conspicuous by not turning up to the venue to claim later that they were not consulted before and blamed the organizers for the fiasco.

All those who spoke in the meeting were found candid in making sweeping remarks against the central government’s  law enforcement agencies, the state and central Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) leaders including BS Yediyurappa, Amit Shah and Narendra Modi.

In the process the public life stooped to a new low like never before. During such situation earlier BS Yediyurappa was sent to jail for a period of 26 days  while he was a chief minister. But nothing of this sort like the Lingayat-Veerashiva community to which he belongs to came to the streets enmass?

The way DK Shivakumar is being welcomed today gives an impression as if he has done a heroic feat and yeoman service by remaining within four walls for 50 days! Perhaps nothing can be so shameful when the hearing of the multiple cases he has been chargesheeted to be involved in is still at hearing stage and a final outcome is awaited.

Thanks to the bail and release of DK Shivakumar, the state ruling Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) seems to be overburdened with fresh woes when it’s struggling to mend fences with the existing ones!

Siddaramaiah, Congesss legislature party(CLP) leader and former chief minister keeps on reiterating umpteen number of times: BS Yediyurappa is the weakest chief minister the state has ever seen before. The party makes him wait for 26 days to expand cabinet, three deputy chief ministers’ are imposed without his knowledge. He doesn’t even gets an appointment to submit a memorandum for seeking funds to the rescue of floodwaters victims…

To worsen BS Yediyurappa’s pathetic plight Navin Kumar Kateel, Mangaluru MP has been made the state BJP president much to the former’s ire. The latter soon after taking over has packed off all those appointed by BS Yediyurappa in the state office.

The chief minister had formed a committee to look into the issue of electing the party nominees to the positions of Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Brahut Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike(BBMP), but the state party president dismissed existence of any such committee.

These developments are crystal clear to prove all is not well with the top brass of the saffron party and at such a crucial juncture the state is headed for bye elections on 05 December in 15 Assembly constituencies.

The writ petitions of all the 15 disqualified Congress and JD-S MLAs’ challenging the previous Assembly Speaker’s ruling is now before the Supreme Court which has reserved its judgement.

Under such adverse circumstances the homecoming of DK Shivakumar as of now is said to be a reason of worry for the state ruling party. The way he is being portrayed on public platforms and the new role and drama he is set to enact is expected to prove disastrous to the ruling party which has to win in at least eight of the 15 seats in order to continue in power.

If DK Shivakumar continues his onslaught by claiming that the Vokkaligas are being targeted and profeses of himself being a saviour and champion of the community, if not elsewhere much damage is expected to the ruling party in the Southern Karnataka.