Karnataka Congress leaders stand by Gandhis to keep party flock together, retain power

Bengaluru: The Congress party unit in Karnataka has quickly thrown its weight behind the Gandhi family in a recent letter row over its central leadership, which according to political analysts has come as no surprise. State Congress leaders - including M Veerappa Moily who is among the 23 national-level leaders who wrote the letter earlier this month calling for tough decisions to strengthen the party - have endorsed All India Congress Committee interim president Sonia Gandhi’s leadership of the grand old party and have always stood loyal to its first family. They have also enjoyed power, both in the government and the party, with full support from the Gandhis, be it son Rahul or Sonia Gandhi herself.

Former chief minister and Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, a long-time critic before joining the Congress from the JD(S) about 14 years ago, was the first to publicly disapprove of the letter. “I humbly request you to continue as the president of AICC, and if you feel that your health may not permit for fullfledged dedication, I urge you to convince Rahul Gandhi to take up the position,” he said in a letter. Siddaramaiah became Karnataka’s chief minister in 2013 because of the support of the Gandhis, which he may not have achieved in the Deve Gowda run JD(S) party. Quickly enough, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar also declared that the party’s state unit was firmly behind Sonia Gandhi.

“Mrs Gandhi has led the Congress during times of crisis and saved our party,” he said. The Gandhis backed Shivakumar last year when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) pressed charges against him in a money-laundering case. Sonia Gandhi even visited him in Delhi’s Tihar jail. The Gandhi factor has always acted as a glue holding disparate factions together in the state. “The state Congress leaders seem to have read the situation well. They are aware the party will stay together in Karnataka only when someone from the Gandhi family is at the helm,” said Narayana A, who teaches political philosophy at Azim Premji University.


The ambition of several party leaders to stay in power depends largely on its High Command and that is one reason why they have openly supported the Gandhi family, said Sandeep Shastri, pro vice-chancellor at Jain University in Bengaluru. “Gandhis at the seat of decision-making serves the interest of both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. They can stay in power only as long as they have the backing of the High Command,” he said. History is also an indication of the support enjoyed by the Gandhi family within the party. Every serious challenge to the leadership of India’s former prime minister and Congress party chief Indira Gandhi - in 1969, 1978 and 1979 had failed, forcing a number of dissidents to return, helping the Congress emerge as a formidable force, said political observer S Mahadev Prakash.