Karna polls: Cong says it has galaxy of leaders for top post

Karnataka, May 8: The Congress on Wednesday kept up the suspense over its Chief Ministerial candidate in Karnataka, saying it has a galaxy of leaders for the top job.

"There are several tall leaders. We have great respect for Siddharamiah, Mallikarjun Kharge, Veerappa Moily, S M Krishna and Oscar Fernandes. We have galaxy of stalwarts who are capable (of becoming the Chief Minister)," party spokesperson Renuka Chowdhary told reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday.

She was responding to a question whether Siddharamiah, being the CLP leader, is the natural choice for the Chief Minister.

"There are several people who contributed to the party's victory," Chowdhary said.

A section in the party earlier maintained Siddharamiah was the natural face of the party in the election.

However, the names of Kharge, Moily and PCC chief G Parameswara also did the rounds as serious contenders for the top job even before the results were out. Parameshwara lost in Koratagere in Tumkur district to JD(S) candidate.

Senior Congress leader and former Union Civil Aviation Minister C M Ibrahim bit the dust in Bhadrawati.

Buoyed by the victory, the party spokesperson expressed confidence that people would repose their faith in Congress even in 2014 general elections and dismissed the contention that the issue of corruption could damage Congress in the next Lok Sabha polls as it did the BJP in Karnataka.

She said the Congress would not have to pay the same price as the party had also carried out many development programmes and whenever it had made mistakes or perceived mistakes, "our action is louder than words".

Cong decides to wait-and-watch approach on Ashwani, Bansal

Clearly adopting a wait-and-watch approach, Congress on Wednesday gave no indication on the future of two of its senior union ministers Law Minister Ashwani Kumar and Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal.

Pressure on the party to act against Kumar, embroiled in a controversy over his vetting of CBI's draft report on coal scam to the Supreme Court, may have eased somewhat with the minister escaping any stinging remarks by the apex court during today's hearing in the matter.

Abrupt adjournments of Parliament would also have diluted the heat on the two ministers whose resignation was demanded by the Opposition which paralysed both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

That the decision on their continuance is unlikely in a haste and a step-by-step approach will be adopted in the matter has come amidst speculation of a reshuffle in the party and the government that could give the leadership sufficient leeway to accommodate party leaders in different places ahead of the Lok Sabha election.

The talk in party circles is that the leadership does not want to repeat an Ashok Chavan-like situation this time.

Chavan, the then Chief Minister of Maharashtra, was removed abruptly after the Adarsh Housing Society scam.

Later, there was a view that Congress took a hasty decision in the matter and Chavan "unnecessarily became a sacrificial lamb".

At the party press briefing, party spokesperson Renuka Chowdhary also said it was time to wait as far as a decision on Ashwini Kumar is concerned.

"I respect the fact that the Prime Minister played by the rules of natural justice and he waited till there is evidence. He is on record today, he has categorically stated that he is aware of the full facts of the case and that he will find a solution. I think we should wait," Chowdhary told reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday.