The visit of Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar to the national capital has once again set the rumour mills rolling. Amidst speculation of a leadership change in Karnataka, the two leaders are flexing their muscles in Delhi.
While Siddaramaiah and his deputy insist that they are visiting the national capital to meet Central ministers for their respective department-related works, Shivkumar has already met with AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other senior Congress leaders.
According to sources, there is no plan to replace Siddaramaiah from the CM post. They also added that this power flexing is going on to ensure that Shivkumar continues as the PCC president and also that other loyalists may be accommodated in the Karnataka Cabinet. While Siddaramaiah wants the one-man-one-post rule implemented, which will mean that Shivkumar will have to abdicate the state unit chief post if he continues in the Karnataka Cabinet.
“(Congress general secretary Randeep Singh) Surjewala has clearly said there is no change in the leadership. The leadership issue is not in the discussion. When he said this, why is there speculation? He is in charge of Karnataka, and when he has said there should not be any speculation, the media is still speculating. There is no discussion about this within the party,” Siddaramaiah told reporters in Delhi.
On questions about a potential power-sharing arrangement, Siddaramaiah said, “It is natural to raise such issues when the government is completing two-and-a-half years, but it does not mean such an agreement was there. If such an agreement existed, I would not have said recently that I will be the CM for five years.”
“What’s wrong in Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar or any of the MLAs dreaming of becoming Chief Minister,” asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday
The Karnataka CM also wondered why there were any such rumours while he was still in the post. “Is the CM post vacant now? Then why is there such speculation? If someone shares a personal opinion, can that be the party’s decision? Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should talk about this,” he said, adding that he will continue as the CM for his full five-year tenure.
When asked about the buzz that he will take over as the CM after the completion of two-and-a-half years of the Congress government in Karnataka, Shivakumar termed it media speculation and clarified there is no such plan.
Shivkumar also ruled out a Cabinet reshuffle in Karnataka. “No Cabinet reshuffle is on the cards. The CM and I are meeting the Central ministers to discuss various state issues,” he said.
