Siddaramaiah set to join Congress

Former Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah is all set to join the Congress party in the wake of All India Congress Committee President Sonia Gandhi’s formal invitation to him in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Siddaramaiah, who had floated the All India Progressive Janata Dal (AIPJD) after severing his ties with JD (S) supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, called on Sonia Gandhi at the latter’s residence in New Delhi.

During the thirty-minute meeting, which was also attended by Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmed Patel and Congress Working Committee member in charge of Karnataka affairs A K Antony, the Congress President gave a green signal to induct Siddaramaiah into the party fold.

Confirming Sonia Gandhi’s invitation, Siddaramaiah told reporters that he would consult his party colleagues, including nine MLAs and a couple of MLCs, before finalizing his decision. The former Deputy Chief Minister is expected to return to New Delhi in a week’s time to finalize his entry into the Congress fold.

Congress leaders in Karnataka including former Chief Minister Dharam Singh are of the opinion that Siddaramaiah’s entry into the Congress party is “certain”. “There is no opposition in the party to his induction”, Singh told reporters.

Former Minister H M Revanna, who has been wooing Siddaramaiah into the Congress fold ever since his relationship with H D Deve Gowda soured about a year ago, said the former Deputy Chief Minister will make a formal announcement on his entry into the Congress shortly.

The Congress party is planning a mega event to be attended by Sonia Gandhi to mark Siddaramaiah’s into the party fold. Siddaramaiah’s close aides and AIPJD leaders including former Federal Minister C M Ibrahim are also scheduled to join the Congress.

Siddaramaiah is expected to resign from the Chamundeshwari assembly constituency in Mysore, which he won as a JD (S) candidate, before joining the Congress. “Initially, Siddaramaiah will join the Congress alone. Later, the nine MLAs supporting him will follow suit”, a Congress leader said.

Although it is not known whether Siddaramaiah put any conditions to join the Congress, it is understood that the Congress leaders have agreed to provide him a “plum post” besides party tickets to all the MLAs supporting him.