Bengaluru, July 7 (IANS) Even as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has denied being appointed by Congress as Chairperson of the party’s National OBC Advisory Committee, the BJP has said this is a step towards ousting him from the post.

His reported ‘appointment’ is being seen as a move by the party’s national leadership to bring about a change in the state’s leadership, and has triggered a series of political reactions.

The Karnataka BJP has described the move as a ploy by the Congress high command to oust Siddaramaiah from the Chief Minister’s post.

However, CM Siddaramaiah has denied the reports, stating that the AICC had merely asked him to host the inaugural meeting of the newly formed committee in Bengaluru on July 15.

Refuting the rumours about his appointment as Chairman of the OBC Committee, CM Siddaramaiah said the news was false. “This is public misinformation,” he emphasised.

He clarified that the OBC Committee will be headed by the current President of the Backward Classes Department, Dr Anil Jaihind.

The programme is expected to be attended by Chief Ministers from Congress-ruled states, along with MPs, MLAs, and even candidates who lost in recent elections.

BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra stated on Monday that instability within the ruling party is clearly visible. He pointed out that AICC General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala has been frequently visiting Bengaluru.

“One thing is clear — the ruling party’s MLAs have lost confidence in Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. His own party legislators no longer trust him. He has also lost the public’s confidence,” Vijayendra stated.

“We are watching closely to see how events unfold in Karnataka and how the process of unseating Siddaramaiah begins. I don’t know who will replace him, but one thing is certain — Surjewala is not visiting the state without a purpose,” he said.

“He has a clear agenda, and he’s here to implement it. Siddaramaiah is aware of this, and so are the ruling party MLAs,” Vijayendra added.

Reacting to the developments, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi had said that Siddaramaiah’s appointment as Chairperson of the AICC National OBC Advisory Committee signals that he may soon be asked to vacate the CM’s post.

Joshi said the Congress high command appears to be sending an indirect message to Siddaramaiah to step down. “He has already completed two and a half years in office. This move indicates that he is being pushed toward national politics in Delhi,” Joshi said.

Reiterating his earlier comments, BJP State President Vijayendra asserted that CM Siddaramaiah will resign very soon.

He added that appointing Siddaramaiah as head of the OBC Advisory Panel is a clear step toward removing him from the CM’s post.

“Congress in-charge for Karnataka, Randeep Surjewala, has already announced that he will consult party MLAs in Bengaluru. This is a clear step toward securing Siddaramaiah’s resignation,” Vijayendra said.

“This appointment is essentially a directive to shift Siddaramaiah to Delhi,” he added.

Meanwhile, the ongoing power struggle between the camps of CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar continues to play out in the state.

Ramanagara Congress MLA Iqbal Hussain has claimed that Shivakumar enjoys the support of 100 MLAs and that there is a pressing need for a leadership change.

Religious leaders have also entered the fray, expressing support for both leaders. The prominent Rambhapuri seer has stated that D.K. Shivakumar should be made the Chief Minister, while a bloc of backward community seers has declared that around 30 pontiffs are backing CM Siddaramaiah and that he should be allowed to complete his term.

–IANS

mka/dpb