Leadership change demand not accepted by high command, my father will be CM for 5 years: Siddaramaiah’s son

Bengaluru, Feb 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) The leadership tussle has resurfaced in Karnataka, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s son and Congress MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah claiming that demands for a leadership change have not been accepted by the party high command and that his father will remain Chief Minister for five years.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Friday, Yathindra made these remarks, which have assumed significance amid reports that the statements were intended to counter Congress MLA Shivaganga Basavaraj, a staunch supporter of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

Basavaraj had urged the party high command to clear the confusion surrounding the leadership issue in the state and made his statement on Thursday.

Yathindra said, “At present, no leader has made any statement about removing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah from his position. My father will remain the Chief Minister for five years. The high command has not encouraged any attempts to change the Chief Minister. In this context, in my opinion, Siddaramaiah will continue as Chief Minister for the full term.”

Responding to a question, he added, “There is no confusion within the party. The media should ask sir (Chief Minister Siddaramaiah) about this.”

Yathindra reiterated that the high command had sent a clear signal that it would not change the leadership in the state. “In this background, I am stating that Siddaramaiah will remain Chief Minister for the full term,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR), IT and BT Priyank Kharge reacted to Shivaganga Basavaraj’s demand for the high command's intervention and made a firm statement in Bengaluru, saying the party leadership would call leaders whenever necessary.

Kharge said AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had clearly stated that they would intervene when the time and need arose and take an appropriate decision. He underlined that speaking about such matters in the media served no purpose.

In a related development, supporters of Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara raised slogans of “next CM Parameshwara” during his visit to Chikkamagalur on Friday and urged the party leadership to consider him for the post.

It can be recalled that, the tussle within the Congress government in Karnataka resurfaced again on Thursday as the Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar's loyalist and Channagiri party MLA Sivaganga Basavaraj, urged the party high command to resolve the leadership issue in the state.

MLA Basavaraj said, "It was earlier stated that both leaders (Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar) would be called to Delhi on February 2. However, since the Assembly session was extended till February 4, the meeting was postponed. The Congress high command will call them again. I do not know the exact reason for summoning them, but I believe it is related to our statements on the Chief Minister's position."

"It appears that the Congress high command is calling them to resolve the issue. Things will become clear once the leaders reach Delhi and attend the meeting. There is no need to continue this confusion. I do not know whether there is any power-sharing agreement. If there is one, the Congress high command should make it clear," he added.

"It is my stand that Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar should be made the Chief Minister of Karnataka. I took my oath of office in his name. I became an MLA because of Shivakumar and I stand firmly with him. There is no question of backtracking on my position. However, if the Congress high command clarifies that there is no power-sharing arrangement and that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will continue, that is also acceptable. Even if a new party leader is made the state's Chief Minister, it is fine. The high command should put an end to the confusion. It does not look good to publicly discuss internal party matters," Basavaraj said.

"In another two or three days, the Congress high command may call them (Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar) to Delhi," he added.

Source: IANS