Rejecting speculations about leadership change in Karnataka, Congress MLC Yathindra on Tuesday asserted that his father Siddaramaiah will continue as Chief Minister and complete a full five years term.
Noting that the entire party, legislators and high command is with Siddaramiah, he also welcomed Lokayukta Police clean-chit to the Chief Minister and others in the MUDA site allotment case and said "truth is victorious".
"He (Siddaramaiah) has always been strong, when was he weak? His position is also stable, there is no threat to it. But the opposition, as they had no issues to target our government, made false allegations against him by creating a scam that never happened, and tried to tarnish his image, but they have failed," Yathindra told reporters in response to a question.
Asked whether Siddaramaiah will continue and complete a full five years term in office, he said, "definitely he will continue. Who has asked him to step down? Have legislators or high command asked him to step down? No.
Instead they all stood by him when allegations were made against him, as they all knew allegations were false. When everyone is with him, he will definitely complete five years." To a question on discussion regarding power sharing, the MLC said, such things are common, as in every party, as there will be Chief Ministerial aspirants, and there is nothing wrong in it.
"Our national president (Mallikarjun Kharge) has said no one should speak about it before the media, so will not speak much," he said.
There has been speculation in the state's political circles, especially in the ruling Congress party, about Chief Minister change, later this year, under a "rotational chief minister" or "power-sharing" formula.
There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and state party chief D K 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 will become CM after two-and-half years, but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.
To a question about reports regarding Siddaramaiah contesting next Assembly polls too, Yathindra said, he has not discussed with him about it, but reminded that the CM had earlier said that he will not contest in elections in the future.
"He said that he was ready to lead the Congress party in the next polls too, and ensure the Congress party wins. He has not said that he will contest elections in the future. He has said if he is given leadership in the next polls, he will lead and ensure the party's victory," he said.
Siddaramaiah is facing allegations of illegalities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife Parvathi B M by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
To a question on Lokayukta police which probed the MUDA case giving clean-chit to his father, mother and two others, Yathindra said that he has been saying from day one that his father or anyone else in the case have not indulged in any kind of illegality.
Stating that the alternate sites were alloted to his mother as compensation to her land that was illegally acquired by MUDA like it was done in several cases, he said. Lokayukta has said there is no evidence for the allegations made, "I'm hopeful that the court will also accept it. Truth is on our side, and truth is victorious." With the site allocation turning into a major controversy, Parvathi had earlier written to MUDA asking it to cancel 14 sites allotted to her, and the MUDA had accepted it.
Asked if the family would seek for the return of 14 sites that were surrendered to MUDA, he said it is for his father and mother to decide.
"Ultimately it has to come to my mother, they will have to decide." Lokayukta police have done a fair probe without compromising, Yathindra said, as he hit out at opposition BJP and JD(S) for criticism of Lokayukta probe.
On ED too probing the case, he said "let the ED do whatever they want, ultimately the final verdict will also be the same".
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