‘Will the tail wag the dog?’ Karnataka minister’s remark triggers CM race buzz again

Karnataka’s leadership row escalated on Tuesday (February 17) after Minister H C Mahadevappa made remarks invoking a High Court observation on stray dogs, drawing reactions from senior Congress leaders and the Opposition.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Monday (February 16), Mahadevappa said, "Where is the discussion on leadership issue? The High Court says time and again to catch stray dogs and confine them. Here the political leadership is strong." When asked to clarify whom he was referring to with the metaphor, the social welfare minister said he was only citing the High Court.

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"I was only referring to what the High Court had said. I do not know how you people perceive it," he added.

Top spot tussle

On the issue of leadership change, Mahadevappa, considered as a confidant of the CM, said, "Who can give direction to the party high command? Can you and me direct it? It's they who can give us direction and not the other way round. What if tail wags the dog?"

Amid ongoing speculation over a leadership tussle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar, the minister dismissed talk of any change at the top. Shivakumar on Tuesday said he would not comment on Mahadevappa's remarks.

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Reacting to the minister's remarks, Shivakumar said only time will answer when Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would give a reply.

"I am not ready to react to Mahadevappa's statement. Not just him, but anybody. I had said this before as well. Siddaramaiah and our Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge have also spoken on our leadership issue," Shivakumar, who is also state Congress president, told reporters.

He added, "It is a decision taken by me, Siddaramaiah and the party high command. Time will answer what the decision was. There is nothing hidden in this dealing. Siddaramaiah himself will answer the people when the time comes."

Leaders react

Shivakumar's brother D K Suresh said he was unaware of the context of Mahadevappa's remark. "I don't have the information whom Mahadevappa referred to as dogs," the former LS member told reporters.

However, he added, "Devout Congress leaders are not stray canines but honest dogs. They never ditch those who favoured them. They clear the debts of their master." Congress MLC B K Hariprasad likened Shivakumar to a railway engine.

"Shivakumar is like the engine taking along the entire train but when it reaches a destination, he makes lots of noise and rouses vendors over there," he said while addressing mediapersons.

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Meanwhile, taking a swipe at Mahadevappa, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy said, "The statement construes that all the leaders in Congress are dogs. Congress leaders like dogs very much. Mahadevappa has subtly explained whether the dog is wagging its tail or tail is wagging the dog."