Karnataka Congress seems bogged by factional feud

Are any heads going to roll for the Congress debacle in the Bengaluru civic elections? Unlikely. No chief minister has so far lost his job because his party was defeated in local body elections. But it has strengthened the argument of the side headed by PCC chief G Parameshwara and MLAs headed by Energy Minister D K Shivakumar that the party has little to look forward to if Siddaramaiah continues as chief minister.

Four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka will fall vacant in June 2016. These include Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and A Manjunatha (who are from the BJP); Oscar Fernandes who is from the Congress and Vijay Mallya who is unlikely to be returned. Who will lay claim to these seats? Will they be filled by the chief minister's nominees or will the central party fill them with its choice?

A Rajya Sabha seat is a significant part of the loaves and fishes that rule state politics. Discussion on this has already begun and several Congress worthies have begun lobbying.

Some are not in Parliament. Some are retiring from the Rajya Sabha and need to ensure they are re-nominated.

From the Congress, this includes Jairam Ramesh, Hanumant Rao, Mohsina Kidwai and J D Seelam. There are others as well. The loss in successive elections in Karnataka will weaken the CM's position in bargaining for these seats.