Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday broke his silence on speculation around Karnataka CM's post and wished Chief Minister Siddaramaiah "all the best" after and said that he would complete a five year term in office.
In a pointed post on X, Shivakumar clarified that a section of MLAs went to Delhi to meet the Congress leadership ahead of an impending Cabinet reshuffle.
"The CM decided to reshuffle the cabinet. Everyone wants to become a minister, so it is quite natural for them to meet the leadership in Delhi. It is their right. We can’t stop them and say no," Shivakumar said.
Reacting to Siddaramaiah’s statement in Mysuru on Friday that he would not only complete five year tenure but also present budgets in the future, Shivakumar said, "The CM has said he will complete five years. I wish him all the best. We will all work together."
He further said, "Look, the CM has spoken his mind. I will not comment on it. He has said that it’s between him and the party high command. He has said that he will obey whatever the party high command says. We will stick to whatever the party high command says."
There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister's post after the declaration of Assembly election results on May 20, 2023, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy CM.
There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational chief minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-a-half years, but the reports were not officially confirmed by the party, PTI reported.
Shivakumar, who is also the Congress state president, also added he did not believe in factionalism.
"I don’t have any faction. I am not the leader of any faction. I am the president of the 140 (Congress) MLAs. To me, all the 140 MLAs are important. I am neither interested in taking any group with me nor I want to form any group. I will not do that. Forming any group is not in my blood. All 140 MLAs are my MLAs," he told reporters.
According to him, no one has called the MLAs, but they are voluntarily going.
On some leaders having a dinner meeting hosted by Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi, the Deputy CM said he had no clue about it, PTI reported.
He, however, said that those grouping at Jarkiholi’s residence want a new state Congress president and four to five Deputy CMs. "All the meetings have been going on for the past two-and-half years. There is nothing new. Let them conduct more meetings," Shivakumar said.
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