New Delhi: Just four months after coming to power Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah is facing a minor revolt from his MLAs. According to a highly reliable source, about 20 Congress MLAs have sent a letter to party high command expressing their displeasure over Siddaramaiah's style of functioning and attitude towards these 'original' Congress MLAs.
Siddaramaiah was a Janata Pariwar leader, who joined the Congress only in 2006. After taking charge as the chief minister, he has started ignoring the old Congress MLAs and other leaders by promoting his own coterie comprising some new entrants and his old Janata Pariwar mates.
These MLAs allege that Siddaramaiah does not respond to their legitimate demands and ill treats them. In their letter, angry MLAs have attacked his coterie. They point out that K R Puram MLA Byrathi Basavaraj, retired IPS officer Kempaiah and few others running the government like their fiefdom. They also allege that a lot of money has exchanged hands during the transfer of government employees.
"Siddaramaiah is not showing any interest in appointing chairpersons to state government run boards and corporations. He wanted to be the chief minister. He has achieved that. He is not interested in strengthening the party or rewarding the workers and leaders of the party. A handful of people around him take all major decisions. He even ignores his own cabinet ministers and drops the name of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, whenever they question him," says the letter.
These MLAs have also expressed anger over some public intellectuals and writers close Siddaramaiah meddling with the government affairs. They allege that, the chief minister is using these intellectuals and writers to give an impression that he is a popular leader.
Two most powerful castes in the state Lingayats and Vokkaligas are also unhappy with the chief minister. Together, they have 30 per cent votes in the state.
They attribute the recent victory in two Lok Sabha by-polls in the Vokkaliga dominated areas to candidates, not to the chief minister.
Reacting to these reports, the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, "There is no proof that, they have sent a letter against me. Media is talking about it. I have nothing to say."
The main opposition JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy warned the Chief Minister that the number of dissidents can go up in the coming days, if he does not mend his ways.
State Congress President Dr G Parameshwara is also openly criticising the chief minister for the slow progress of government work.
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