Karnataka MLAs May Demand Additional Deputy CMs

Several ruling Congress legislators and ministers in Karnataka , in particular, will be delighted with the Supreme Court’s dismissal of a Public Interest Litigation challenging the constitutional validity of states appointing Deputy Chief Ministers.

Especially, as the southern state’s Minister of Cooperation, K. N. Rajanna and his senior colleague, Public Works Minister, Satish Jarkiholli, among others, have been strident in their demand for inclusion of three more deputy CMs in the Cabinet which has D. K. Shivakumar, as the sole minister with that status.

The apex court’s ruling of February 12 follows a public interest litigation (PIL) by Delhi-based “Public Political Party” which had questioned the creation of the post by different ruling parties in the states, if only to keep their coalitions intact. Or, for that matter, to placate senior leaders besides keeping in mind the caste equations.

The court’s ruling that the appointment of deputy chief ministers did not breach any Constitutional provisions, even though it did not define or mention this post, would be music to Rajanna and his associates.

More so, as the three-judge bench,headed by Chief Justice of India, Justice D. Y. Chandrachud, asserted that “ a deputy CM is an MLA and thus the post does not breach any constitutional provision and that the label did not provide any extra perks.”

Rajanna, Jarkiholi and associates have been urging the party high command to appoint three more deputy CMs, if only to pip the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the forthcoming Parliamentary polls. Their argument is simple: after the accommodation of senior Lingayat leaders from the BJP, including Jagdish Shettar and Laxman Savadi and their followers, the Congress had managed to woo a sizable section of the community’s voters in its favour in the 2023 Assembly elections. This was instrumental in the party’s encouraging win.

Even though Shettar has returned to his parent party now, Rajanna and company believe that the ruling party under Siddaramaiah can still give a tough fight to the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls by having Dy. CMs from the Lingayat, Scheduled Caste (SC) and minority communities, respectively.

“The intention is that the Congress should win the maximum number of seats in the Lok Sabha polls. If that is to happen, one post of Dy. CM each, should be given to the communities,” has been their common refrain. Last month, a dinner party by a select group of senior ministers, the second of its kind in recent days, had triggered speculation about the seriousness of the demand for more Dy. CMs.

Significantly, this dinner was held at Satish Jarkiholi’s residence and was attended largely by legislators representing Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities, including Home Minister, G. Parameshwara, Social Welfare Minister H. C. Mahadevappa and Food Minister K. H. Muniyappa, among others.

Later, Jarkiholi stated that the invitees were unanimous over the need for additional Dy. CMs, and that the party’s central leadership ought to consider it. Some of these leaders had reportedly cited the example of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan,to them, had appointed multiple DCMs. The argument being that Karnataka should follow suit.

Congress insiders, however, claim that while on paper the demand did appear logical, there was more to it than met the eye. A senior leader told this writer that a section of the ruling party leaders were wary of D.K. Shivakumar’s growing clout, and the power that he wielded.

Accordingly, their demand for more Dy. CMs could be traced to the need to curb Shivakumar’s power. However, the ministers had also maintained that it was imperative to think of the party’s interest especially, “if we lose the forthcoming polls, the central leadership will question us.”

An unperturbed Shivakumar, however, had refused to comment on the developments at that time, arguing that it was a decision that was best left to the party high command. At the same time, he underlined the need for the party to work collectively for the Lok Sabha polls.

According to reliable sources, the Dy. CM had vetoed the need for any additional Dy. CM posts in May 2023, when the Congress was preparing to constitute its government in the state. He still prefers to stick to that stand.

The party had chosen to give weightage to Shivakumar’s argument, considering that as the state Congress chief, he was largely responsible for its win in the Assembly polls . Since then the situation in the party has changed. More and more legislators and senior members from different communities, are becoming vociferous about their demand for inclusion as ministers and Dy. CMs. The Dy. CM, has also been having a tough time, with the state Lokayukta also filing an FIR against him in connection with a disproportionate assets case.

Following the apex court’s decision Shivakumar’s critics in the party can get a much needed boost to support their claim for additional Dy. CMs, something that could be evident in the coming days.

Meanwhile, in an interesting twist, a news report revealed that the Siddaramaiah government has over 90 cabinet rank ministers, of which 77 are legislators. This is perhaps the largest in the state’s history, obviously the result of pressure from the 135 ruling party MLAs, from different castes and communities. And, of course, former ministers and senior leaders.

Some of the cabinet rank holders, appointed as advisors by Siddaramaiah, include former senior ministers and officials, with many even working as heads of different boards and corporations.

Not surprisingly, the development has been ridiculed by the Opposition, particularly, H. D. Kumaraswamy, former CM and JDS leader. He claimed that it was nothing short of a welfare programme. Kumaraswamy said the move was inconsistent with the government’s oft repeated claim of financial constraints.

Nevertheless, the fact remains that for the disgruntled in the Congress party, this ruling could embolden them in giving a fresh push to the demand for additional Dy. CMs, with Parliamentary polls barely a few months away.

Already, speculation is rife that sections of these leaders are carefully perusing the apex court’s order as they prepare for their next move, in the process promising to make the coming days more politically lively in the state.