Karnataka: Basavaraj Bommai disses Congress’ CM dilemma, questions party’s commitment to Lingayats

The BJP, which just lost assembly elections in Karnataka seems to have found some vindication as the Congress’ indecision over the chief minister’s post continues. Taking potshots at the victorious party, acting CM Basavaraj Bommai called the tussle a sign of indecision within the Congress, which couldn’t form government despite being in absolute majority. “The Congress Party must stop playing politics, select a new CM and serve the people,” he said.

Opposition leader Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar are both vying for the top job. The leaders are in Delhi and have had numerous meetings with the senior leaders of the AICC. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had proposed a power sharing formula to split the CM post between the two for half the term each. Shivakumar, however, has refused, saying he would not accept anything less than the CM’s post.

Bommai also took a dig at the upcoming cabinet, saying that he would wait to see how much representation Lingayats would get in the new government. “The Congress leaders have spoken much about the Lingayat community…let’s see what all posts would be given to the Lingayats, including that of the chief minister and deputy chief Minister,” he said. The Lingayats are the largest community in Karnataka, and both parties had fiercely competed for its good graces, especially with major Lingayat leaders like Jagadish Shettar and Laxman Savadi defecting to the Congress from the BJP. While Shettar lost to BJP’s Mahesh Tenginakai, Savadi won by a huge margin of 76,122 votes.


With both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar refusing to back down, the Congress will see a few more days of deliberation. AICC general secretary RS Surjewala said that the party will come to a decision soon and Karnataka will have a new Cabinet in the next 48-72 hours.