Row In Karnataka Congress As MLA Claims Party Colleague Ready To Join BJP

Factionalism in Karnataka Congress played out in public today with leaders belonging to Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar factions ripping into each other. Days after Congress MLA HC Balakrishna claimed that the state's former minister KN Rajanna was ready to leave the party and make a beeline for the BJP, his son hit back.

Mr Rajanna, who was the state's cooperative minister, was removed from his post last month after his comments on Rahul Gandhi's "votes theft" allegations. Sources had said his exit was sought by Mr Gandhi, who is spearheading the Congress allegation that the Election Commission is hand in glove with the BJP in introducing huge numbers of fake voters.

Rajendra Rajanna - a Member of Legislative Council and son of the former minister - declared on Tuesday that it was Mr Balakrishna who was part of a team that may jump ship to the BJP for the sake of power and Chief Minister post for their leader.

He also took a dig at Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. Without naming him, Rajanna Junior accused Mr Shivakumar of conspiring against his father, who is considered close to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, reported news agency Press Trust of India.

Noting that his father lost his minister post because of "unseen hands", Rajendra Rajanna said, "Rajanna has clearly said that he will not quit Congress as he has enjoyed power because of Congress and that he will remain in the party till the end".

Then, in a dig at Mr Shivakumar, he said, "Rajanna did not sing the RSS song in the assembly and he has never been to RSS Shakhas in his childhood or youth. Rajanna has his own ideology".

The reference was to the time when Mr Shivakumar had sung the anthem of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh - the BJP's ideological mentor - in the state assembly, sparking a massive row.

His loyalist HC Balakrishna, meanwhile, targeted Mr Rajanna. "The world has seen how Rajanna behaved when he was a minister. His language and behaviour were his downfall and not any conspiracy," said Mr Balakrishna.

"Now he is looking to go to another party. He has already put an application to the BJP and is unnecessarily blaming our leader, there is no conspiracy of our leader here, the high command directly for involved and took a decision because of his statements," he added.

"Hundred per cent he (Rajanna) will quit the party. If Congress was not in power, he would have gone by now," said the MLA from Magadi. "He (Rajanna) is still in Congress as the party is in power. He has already taken one step out of the party. He is already in discussion and in touch with another party," he added.

Over the last months, Karnataka has been witnessing a bitter rivalry between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his Deputy. The two -- initially racing each other for the top post -- have clashed lately over multiple issues, including cabinet allocation, portfolios, appointments to boards and corporations and even transfer of officials.