SMK’s Delhi visit creates flutter in Congress

Bengaluru: A day after state Congress MPs met at former Union minister Veerappa Moily’s residence over dinner, former chief minister SM Krishna visit to New Delhi on Thursday created a flutter in the party.
Though Krishna was expected to meet Sonia on Thursday evening, he did not get an appointment as she was busy with the Parliament session and planning a strategy to counter the Narendra Modi government on the AgustaWestland case.Later, Krishna met AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi for an hour, sources said.
Krishna’s visit assumes significance in view of reports speculating change of leadership in the state, especially when chief minister Siddaramaiah is mired in a series of controversies. Sources said Krishna’s interest in state politics presumably was not to stake claim for the CM’s post, but to present his views on the performance of the government and seek for a change of guard.
Krishna, who has been airing his displeasure over Siddaramaiah‘s style of functioning, showered praises on his bete noire and former PM HD Deve Gowda at a community function recently.
The dinner hosted by Moily for Congress MPs from the state in New Delhi on Wednesday triggered off speculations. According to those who attended the dinner, the MPs expressed displeasure over Siddaramaiah not taking them into confidence while taking decisions. Their grouse was Siddaramaiah had given up the convention of meeting all Karnataka MPs across party lines in New Delhi before the Parliament session.
Sources said some MPs wanted Mallikarjun M Kharge, the party’s leader in the Lok Sabha, to raise the change of guard issue with the high command. However, Kharge reportedly told them he was willing to play the “big brother” to help them in issues other than this. He wanted them to take up the issue with Sonia directly.
Bengaluru Rural MP DK Suresh, convener of Karnataka Congress MPs, was authorized to fix a meeting with Siddaramaiah and the group is likely to take up the issue with the high command if the CM fails to respond positively to their views.
However, sources said the party high command is expected to look into Karnataka’s issues only after May 19, when election results of the five states would be announced