Amid talks about who will be the next Chief Minister of Karnataka, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said on Thursday that the final call will be taken after discussions between the party leadership, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.
The buzz began as the Karnataka government completed half of its five-year term on November 20. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Kharge said the decision will be taken together.
“I will call everyone and have a discussion. Rahul Gandhi will also remain present in that discussion. CM and Dy CM will also remain present. The decision will be made after a discussion with all of them. There is a team. I am not alone. The entire high command team will discuss and make a decision,” he told reporters.
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Karnataka CM Power tussle heats up – Latest updates
- Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Thursday brushed aside the BJP’s repeated criticism, saying the party has no internal problems to fix. He questioned why the BJP was so concerned and said the Congress government was focused on addressing public issues since it was the one elected to govern. He added that the BJP should talk about issues that actually matter. When asked whether the Congress high command in Delhi would settle the debate over the Chief Minister’s post, he said there was nothing that needed resolving.
- Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar posted a message on social media stressing that keeping one’s promises is the biggest strength a person can have. Without naming anyone, he urged everyone, including himself, to stand by the commitments they make. Many believe this message was aimed at the Congress high command.
- On Wednesday, senior Congress MLA and former minister KN Rajanna said that the next Chief Minister should be chosen by the Congress Legislature Party (CLP). He suggested dissolving the Assembly and going for fresh elections, arguing that it was the CLP that had chosen Siddaramaiah last time. He said the party could then fight the polls under DK Shivakumar’s leadership and, if they win a majority, allow him to serve a full five-year term. Rajanna also said Siddaramaiah remains his first choice and added that Home Minister G Parameshwara could be a second option.
- Meanwhile, CM Siddaramaiahhas called the entire discussion unnecessary, while DK Shivakumar has repeated that he is loyal to the party and denied rumours about resigning as Karnataka Congress chief. Shivakumar has also requested a meeting with senior party leader Sonia Gandhi on November 29 to talk about the ongoing issues.
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Who could be the next Karnataka CM?
Rumours about a possible leadership change have continued in Karnataka. Along with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, two other names have come up in discussions — Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, who some believe may get a chance to serve half the term, and state Home Minister G Parameshwara, whose name has also been mentioned by some party members. |
