Rahul must now step in to avert a crisis in Karnataka

The Congressjanata Dal (Secular) coalition in the state is yet to get going in terms of proper governance

nataka. Hebbalkar is a Lingayat, the most numerically dominant caste in the state. Even as shadow boxing between the brothers and the new power centre in the district was on for some time, the latest round of trouble started for the control of a district cooperative bank. Local district banks are powerful instruments for extending patronage, especially in a place where wealth revolves around growing and processing of sugarcane. The Jarkiholis have usually had their way in selecting the chairman and other senior positions in the bank. But this time, to counter the influential brothers, Hebbalkar has put up her own roster of candidates.

It became clear to the Jarkiholis that Hebbalkar displayed the courage to put up candidates against their choice because of powerful backers within the party. It wasn’t hard to discover that this was none other than DK Shivakumar, the strongman of the Karnataka Congress, who had helped the party by hosting MLAS from Gujarat during a contentious Rajya Sabha election, and the man who played a key role in the recent coalition government formation. Shivakumar, or DKS as he is known locally, who is being investigated by the enforcement directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act,makes no secret of his ambition to eventually become the state’s chief minister. From Kanakapura in southern Karnataka, he had already ensured that his younger brother, DK Suresh, became an MP. But DKS realised that being a Vokkaliga — the second most powerful caste — he would find it tough to become CM without a support base across the state.

So DKS has been backing second-rung leaders across various districts, including Hebbalkar in Belagavi. The Jarkiholis, who were miffed at what they saw as interference in what they see as their territory, are now threatening to destabilise the coalition government unless DKS is reined in. With Siddaramaiah, the Congress Legislature Party leader, unable to mollify the Jarkiholis and the BJP happy to fish in troubled waters, Congress president Rahul Gandhi needs to directly intervene if he wants to save the state government. He must broker peace between the bickering factions in the party.