Siddaramaiah asks Congress high command to end confusion on leadership change; ‘haven’t asked to be made CM’, says DK Shivakumar

Noting that Siddaramaiah had already said that he would present the next budget, DK Shivakumar stated that the chief minister had worked for the party organisation and was an asset for the Congress.

Shivakumar maintains he has not sought the CM post and says he does not want to weaken the party.

Siddaramaiah has asked the Congress leadership to decisively end speculation over a leadership change in Karnataka.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Tuesday urged the Congress high command to “put a full stop” to the confusion over leadership change in the state , even as his deputy D K Shivakumar maintained that he had not asked the party leadership to appoint him as the chief minister.

Responding to media queries regarding a group of legislators visiting Delhi to seek the chief ministerial berth for Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah said that they were free to go and express their views with the party leadership. “Ultimately, the high command has to take a decision. Whatever they want to say, let them say it to the high command. Ultimately, to put a full stop to this confusion, the high command has to take a decision,” he said.

On when the Cabinet expansion will take place in Karnataka, he said that it would happen once the party brass gives the go-ahead. On whether he would meet Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on the matter, Siddaramaiah responded in the negative.

Speaking to reporters at Kanakapura in Bengaluru South district, Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar maintained that he has not asked the party leadership to appoint him to the top post in the state. Commenting on the apparent agreement between him, Siddaramaiah and the Congress leadership regarding power sharing after the 2023 polls, he said, “Whatever happened is a secret between five to six people. I don’t want to disclose it,” he said.

He added that he did not want to “embarrass the party or weaken it.” Noting that Siddaramaiah had already said that he would present the next budget, Shivakumar stated that the chief minister had worked for the party organisation and was an asset for the Congress. “Our current targets are the 2028 and 2029 polls,” he said, referring to the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

Also Read | Is a Cabinet reshuffle imminent in Karnataka? Congress jostling continues as veterans, first-time MLAs land in Delhi

To a section of MLAs lobbying for him to be made chief minister, Shivakumar said that he was not aware of that. “I have not talked to them. I have not asked why they have gone to Delhi,” he said.

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