"Central Leadership Responsible": Congress' Veerappa Moily On Karnataka Row

Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister M Veerappa Moily has said that the party's central leadership is "responsible" for the ongoing 'power tussle' between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar, and must urgently restore discipline before the situation "spoils Congress in Karnataka".

Speaking on Friday as the leadership tussle entered a more public phase, Moily said bluntly: "No doubt it's political turmoil or if it's not yet, it will lead towards turmoil. Central leadership is responsible for that. They should know how to control it, but things are leading to different directions, which will spoil Congress in Karnataka."

He also criticised the spectacle of community and religious leaders entering the fray, calling it a damaging signal in a state already on edge.

"Swamijis and community leaders are coming to support their respective leaders, this sends a wrong message. Discipline is the need of hour first bring it otherwise opposition BJP is demolishing Congress everywhere. It will lose Karnataka also," he said. 

Moily refrained from naming either claimant for the top post while adding, "I will not comment who should continue or who should be made Chief Minister, I only say bring discipline."

His remarks followed fresh pressure from Vokkaliga spiritual leader Sri Sri Nanjavadutha Swamiji, who publicly endorsed Shivakumar for the Chief Minister's post. 

"What is going on is not in the best interest of the party. This will ruin the party's prospects," Moily said. 

The Siddaramaiah-Shivakumar rivalry, simmering since the Congress' 2023 election win, intensified again on Friday. The party leadership is now racing to contain the fallout before the Assembly's winter session begins on December 8, amid warnings from its own ranks and threats from the opposition.

Congress sources told NDTV that Siddaramaiah's position "is not currently in danger". His strength lies in a large support base: over 100 of the party's 137 MLAs, backed by the Ahinda coalition and his standing as a major OBC leader. Any attempt to replace him without his consent, senior party figures admit, would be near-impossible.

Yet pressure from the Shivakumar camp continues to build. A delegation of his supporters met party chief Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi last week. Their push, party insiders say, could delay a long-planned cabinet reshuffle that Siddaramaiah had hoped would demonstrate his intention to continue as Chief Minister.