Karnataka: High command decision will be final on CM change, says Siddaramaiah
Karnataka Chief Minister was reacting to Congress leader Veerappa Moily's statement regarding Dy CM Shivakumar taking over as CM
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday made it clear that he would go by the directives of the Congress high command, whose decision is final on leadership change in the State.
The Chief Minister was reacting to veteran Congress leader Veerappa Moily’s statement regarding Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar taking over as the Chief Minister in the days ahead. “I’m saying once again that the high command will decide. What Moily or someone else is not important, whatever the high command says is final,” Siddaramaiah told reporters here in response to Moily’s statement.
Asked about party leaders indulging in speculation on Chief Minister change in public, despite instructions from AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge against it, he said, “I will go by the high command’s directions.” Moily on Sunday said that no one could prevent Shivakumar from becoming the Chief Minister of the State, as it is a “settled matter”.
The former Chief Minister had also asserted that it was only a matter of time before Shivakumar assumed the Chief Minister’s post, as it was something bound to happen. There has been speculation in the State’s political circles, especially in the ruling Congress party, about the Chief Minister change, later this year, under a “rotational Chief Minister” or “power-sharing” formula.
Shivakumar, who is also the State Congress president, is a strong Chief Ministerial aspirant and has made no secret of his ambition to become the Chief Minister. Refusing to comment on Moily’s statement about him becoming the Chief Minister of Karnataka in the days ahead, Shivakumar earlier on Monday called it his personal opinion. Congress MLA Basavaraju V Shivaganga too on Sunday had said that Shivakumar would become the Chief Minister by December.
These comments in favour of Shivakumar have come even as several Ministers and leaders considered close to Siddaramaiah consistently ruled out any leadership change and asserted that the incumbent Chief Minister would continue and complete a full five-year term. The remarks by Congressmen on the issue of leadership change were notwithstanding Kharge’s warning asking party colleagues to ‘shut up’ and focus on governance.
Reacting to Moily’s statements, Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna on Monday said Veerappa Moily was a senior leader and he expressed his personal opinion, but ultimately the Congress high command would decide. “I won’t dispute his opinion. Similarly, a legislator has also expressed his opinion. All these are personal opinions, but ultimately it is the high command that decides,” he said.
Similarly, there was a feeling and opinion among many that Siddaramaiah should complete the full term, but ultimately the top brass would take a decision. “I can neither say that CM will be changed or CM will not be changed. Anything may happen as per the high command’s wish,” he said. PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi said Moily and several others too have spoken on this issue of Chief Minister change, but ultimately the AICC would decide.
“We may say things for our satisfaction, but it is not final. What the high command says is final,” he said. Industries Minister M B Patil said Moily was a former Chief Minister, former Union Minister and a Congress Working Committee member. The AICC high command would look into his statement and discuss it with him if required. “It is left to Veerappa Moily and the top brass. They will talk to him,” he said.
Taking a dig at the ruling party, BJP State president B Y Vijayendra said there were no doubts about fast-paced political developments in Karnataka in the days ahead, as the fight for the Chief Minister’s chair in the Congress was intensifying day-by-day, with legislators and Ministers making statements openly in favour of and against — both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.
There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the Chief Minister’s post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May 2023, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy Chief Minister. There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a “rotational Chief Minister formula,” according to which Shivakumar would become CM after two-and-half years, but they have not been officially confirmed by the party. PTI
