New Delhi, June 1 (IANS) Even before the formation of Karnataka’s new Cabinet under Chief Minister-designate D.K. Shivakumar, political sparring over leadership, ministerial berths and internal factionalism within the Congress has intensified, with Opposition parties alleging that the ruling party remains consumed by power struggles rather than governance.

The latest round of attacks came after the Congress leadership finalised D.K. Shivakumar as the next Chief Minister of Karnataka, ending months of speculation over a leadership transition. However, discussions over Cabinet formation, deputy chief minister posts and key organisational appointments continue to trigger political debate.

Reacting to the development, BJP leader T.R. Srinivas said the prolonged contest for power within the Congress had finally reached a conclusion.

“The Game of Thrones has finally ended in Karnataka. I extend my best wishes to D.K. Shivakumar, the Chief Minister-designate, for taking oath. I hope he will focus on governance issues such as urban distress, rural distress, farmer distress and overall administrative challenges, as there is currently perceived policy paralysis in Karnataka and public dissatisfaction with governance,” Srinivas claimed.

JD(U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad claimed that the leadership change reflected deeper factional tensions within the Congress.

“Look, this was bound to happen, and we had expressed our concerns earlier as well. Rahul Gandhi took quite a long time to make a decision on Karnataka. The reason is that whenever internal factionalism or dissatisfaction grows within a state unit, Rahul Gandhi does not intervene until the party is on the verge of breaking apart. This is just an indication of the ongoing tug-of-war over the Cabinet,” Prasad told IANS.

BJP Karnataka President, B.Y. Vijayendra also criticised the Karnataka government, alleging that a change in leadership would not improve governance in the state.

“The Congress government has not carried out any significant development work during the last three years. Even if D.K. Shivakumar becomes Chief Minister, Karnataka will not witness any major development. The Congress government has tied its own hands through its guarantee schemes, and a change in leadership will not alter the development scenario in the state,” Vijayendra claimed.

The Congress Legislature Party recently elected D.K. Shivakumar as its new leader, paving the way for him to succeed Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister. Shivakumar is scheduled to take oath on June 3 in Bengaluru.

Attention has now shifted to the composition of the new Cabinet, with intense discussions underway over ministerial positions, deputy chief minister posts and the appointment of a new Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief.

Senior Congress leaders, including Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, have held consultations with the party high command in Delhi as the leadership works to balance regional, caste and political equations in the new government.

–IANS

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