DK Ravi case has given Siddaramaiah's rivals a "mauka"
An IAS officer found dead at his apartment, the police say it looks like a suicide, the opposition cries foul and claims he was under threat from mafia, the media whips up a frenzy, the CM is adamant that only the state CID will probe the case, he is trolled saying government is trying to fix the case and finally CM is asked by his party high command to give case to the CBI.
A week is a long time in politics and though Siddaramaiah wouldn't admit it, it was one week when Murphy's law worked overtime. The DK Ravi case is no longer just a crime file, it is a political story where the Karnataka chief minister has lost the first round to his detractors, both within and outside the Congress party.
If there is one person who has played his cards very well, it is former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy. It is HD Deve Gowda's son who has risen like a phoenix from the ashes, riding on the case. Kumaraswamy managed to convince many across the country that Siddaramaiah's motives in not handing over the case to the CBI were suspect and mounted tremendous pressure both inside and outside the Assembly. Siddaramaiah, thanks to his arrogance, handled the situation in the most inept and amateurish manner. Kumaraswamy, with help from the BJP, had checkmated Siddaramaiah.
Since Ravi was a Vokkaliga, Kumaraswamy successfully stoked the caste factor to make it seem as if the entire Vokkaliga community, that accounts for 17 per cent of Karnataka's population, are now unhappy with Siddaramaiah. The Vokkaligas are politically powerful and financially loaded and the Congress can hardly afford to antagonise the community. The Vokkaligas are the backbone of the JD(S) and by making it seem that a fellow Vokkaliga has been wronged and denied justice, Kumaraswamy is hoping to gain political relevance once again.
The petition to ensure the government does not table the preliminary CID report on the floor of the House has given this developing story, another twist. Most legal experts believe that the CM's announcement that he will do so, does not have a legal leg to stand on. All Siddaramaiah wanted was to ensure that the belief that Ravi died because of personal reasons got some official backing, if indeed the CID says so in its report. Because even if the CBI puts out something different in its report after this, he can always imply political motives.
Siddaramaiah now has several battles to fight. One against the judiciary which has frowned upon his decision to table the CID report. Two, against the opposition which wants to push him into a corner, questioning his integrity. Three, against detractors within his own party who now have the knives out for him.
In this latest nataka in Karnataka's political theatre, Siddaramaiah has no Plan B and Kumaraswamy and the BJP, a "mauka".