Shivakumar Meets Rajanna to Strengthen Leadership Unity
Weekend meetings spark speculation even as Congress sharpens attack on Centre’s move to replace MGNREGA
BENGALURU: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC president DK Shivakumar’s weekend meetings with senior Congress leader KN Rajanna have triggered speculation over internal party dynamics, even as the Congress government in the state intensifies its opposition to the Centre’s controversial replacement of the MGNREGA scheme.
Shivakumar met Rajanna twice over the weekend, including a discussion lasting more than an hour on Sunday. While both leaders declined to comment on the substance of the meetings, the interactions are being viewed as part of efforts to maintain leadership cohesion within the party.
Rajanna, a close confidant of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, reiterated that the Chief Minister should complete his full term, signalling continuity and stability at the top. Sources said Shivakumar may have sought Rajanna’s counsel on strategic party matters, underlining attempts to manage internal equations ahead of future political developments.
On the governance front, the Centre’s decision to replace the two decade old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Gramin (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025 has drawn sharp criticism from the Congress.
Rural Development Minister Priyank Kharge said the move diluted a constitutionally backed, rights-based employment guarantee by converting it into a centrally sponsored scheme, while also increasing the financial burden on states and weakening Panchayati Raj institutions.
Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar termed the replacement a “shock to the Panchayat Raj system.” While BJP MLC CT Ravi welcomed the new legislation, citing an increase in guaranteed employment days from 100 to 125, Congress leaders warned it would undermine the livelihoods of rural workers.
AICC general secretary Sachin Pilot said the issue would be taken up at the Congress Working Committee meeting scheduled for December 27, where the party would chalk out its strategy to oppose the new law.
The twin developments underscore the Congress leadership’s focus on maintaining internal unity in Karnataka while mounting a coordinated political challenge to policy changes impacting rural India.
