Siddaramaiah’s absence at Koratagere event raises questions

Team Udayavani, Mar 7, 2023, 8:46 AM IST

Bengaluru: In the massive public event held in Koratagere, Tumakuru, the Congress party demonstrated its strength under the leadership of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge. However, the absence of prominent party leader Siddaramaiah has raised doubts among Congress activists, leaving a lingering sense of discord within the party.

The event in Koratagere was dedicated to the inauguration of Rajiv Bhavan, with Mallikarjuna Kharge taking center stage alongside other notable Congress leaders such as Randeep Singh Sujewala, D.K. Sivakumar, and Dr. G. Parameshwara. The absence of Siddaramaiah, who is also considered a chief ministerial aspirant, has fueled speculation that all is not well in the Congress party.

Questions have arisen about whether Siddaramaiah would have skipped the event had someone else been AICC president instead of Mallikarjuna Kharge. There are also doubts about whether Siddaramaiah’s commitment to a previous engagement in Arasikere was more important than attending such a significant event. These lingering doubts have left Congress supporters and activists wondering if the feud among party leaders remains unresolved.

Dr. G. Parameshwar has previously served as KPCC president for eight years and was a chief ministerial aspirant in the 2013 assembly elections but suffered defeat. Mallikarjun Kharge was also a contender for the post of Chief Minister in the same election. Meanwhile, D.K. Shivakumar has also identified himself as a chief ministerial aspirant in the current assembly election.

The Koratagere event, which featured all of these leaders, was touted to be a show of the strength of the Congress party. However, Siddaramaiah’s absence was conspicuous.

By the way, on the same day, Siddaramaiah participated in the unveiling of a bronze statue of Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna in Arasikere before leaving for Mysuru.