"My Siddaramaiah Remarks Twisted": Congress MLA's Damage Control Video

In a desperate damage control move a day after his video started a chatter in Karnataka's power corridors, Congress MLA BR Patil has issued a clarification to his remarks on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The five-time MLA has said his statements were twisted and alleged an attempt to drive a wedge between him and Siddaramaiah.

"My statement being twisted in electronic and social media and tarnishing me is not right. I was in Krishnarajpete, speaking to a close friend, when Siddaramaiah's topic came up. I said few things, like Siddaramaiah won a lottery and became the Chief Minister, but claiming that I made Siddaramaiah meet Sonia Gandhi is completely wrong. I had gone with him when we met Sonia Gandhi, he kept saying, 'let's not meet her this time'. But I insisted and then he met her," Mr Patil has said in a video statement.

"He (Siddaramaiah) is a mass leader, I don't have the power to make him Chief Minister, some people are intentionally trying to spoil relations between the two of us," said the veteran leader.

BR Patil was among the legislators who switched from the JDS to Congress under Siddaramaiah's leadership about two decades back. "Nine legislators left the JDS under his leadership to join the Congress. Congress made him Chief Minister because of the public support he enjoyed and not because we told them to. Some people doing such things to ruin my relationship with Siddaramaiah is not right," he said.

Interestingly, the clarification video was routed through the Chief Minister's office.

In the video that went viral yesterday, Mr Patil was heard saying, "Siddaramaiah hit a lottery. I was the one who introduced him to Sonia Gandhi. His fortunes were good and he became the Chief Minister. I have no Godfather or God. I met (Randeep Singh) Surjewala and said everything I had to. They heard me out with patience, let's see what happens."

The veteran leader is known to be close to Siddaramaiah, but is reportedly unhappy at not getting a ministerial berth or a key party role.

The video emerged amid unrest within the Karnataka Congress after some MLAs close to Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar demanded a change in Chief Ministership. The Congress high command, however, has indicated it has no such plan. Senior party leader and MP Randeep Singh Surjewala has been rushed to Bengaluru as a troubleshooter, but he has claimed his visit is an organisational exercise and that he had not spoken to any MLA on the leadership change issue.

Among the MLAs who has spoken out in Mr Shivakumar's support is Iqbal Hussain, who said 100 out of 138 Congress MLAs are backing the Deputy Chief Minister. He has also warned that if the high command does not change the Chief Minister, the Congress may not return to power in Karnataka.

Siddaramaiah has trashed the buzz over a possible leadership change. Speaking in Mysuru, he said the Congress government will remain "as solid as a rock" for five years. Mr Shivakumar at his side, he told the media, "This government will be as solid as a 'bande' (rock) for five years." The Chief Minister's supporters often call him 'bande'.

When the media asked him about his ties with Mr Shivakumar, he held the Deputy Chief Minister's hand to show unity and said, "We are on good terms." Asked if attempts were being made to drive a wedge between them, he said, "We don't listen to what others say."

The current unrest over the Chief Minister post goes back to the 2023 election result in which Congress scored a thumping win. At the time, Mr Shivakumar was considered a strong contender for the top post for his role in the Congress win. Eventually, the Congress leadership managed to convince him to settle for the Deputy Chief Minister and state party chief posts. Some reports had then claimed that an agreement of rotational chief ministership had been reached, but this was never confirmed.