Too many Congress contenders for Karnataka CM's post

If the exit polls in Karnataka are to be believed, the Congress will manage to scrape through and get a thin majority in the state assembly, when the votes are finally counted on Wednesday.

But the party may have a tough time in selecting a chief minister as senior leaders Dr G Parameshwar and Siddaramaiah are both eyeing the coveted post.

Siddaramaiah, who is considered a mass leader, wields greater influence among the people. But he is considered a relative newcomer as he has joined the Congress only six years ago.

Parameshwar, as the president of the state unit of the party, can take credit for the Congress’s victory in the election. But his electoral performance in his constituency Koratageri may be the final factor in deciding his candidature for the top post.

If both Siddaramaiah and Parameshwar win by convincing margins, the party will have a tough time in choosing the CM.

To avoid a rupture in the party ranks, the Congress high command may urge both leaders to take turns to serve as the chief minister.

The Congress party may spring a surprise by electing a leader who has not openly been in the running for the top post. Senior Karnataka leaders like Oscar Fernandes, Veerappa Moily and Mallikarjuna Kharge fit the bill.

While Kharge seems to be the most obvious ‘compromise’ candidate, Moily or Fernandes may be chosen for their proximity to party president Sonia Gandhi. But if either of these leaders is chosen as the chief minister, the Karnataka unit of the party will face the threat of a revolt by the followers of both Siddaramaiah and Parameshwar.

According to sources in the party, both Moily and Fernandes have been out of touch with state politics for a while.

Kharge is a senior leader who is known for his loyalty and lack of political rivals. Over the years, he has patiently waited at the sidelines while other Congress leaders -- namely S M Krishna and Dharam Singh -- beat him to the CM’s post.

If the Congress fails to get a simple majority, it will have to team up with either the Janada Dal-Secular or the Karnataka Janata Party, both of which are likely to support Kharge’s candidature.

Image: Congress leader Mallikarjuna Kharge