Focus on government, Congress President Kharge tells ministers demanding 3 DCM posts

Karnataka Cooperation Minister Rajanna had earlier called for three deputy chief ministers to increase Congress' chances in Lok Sabha elections.

Published on: Jan 10, 2024, 16:08:12 IST

PTIPosted by Yamini C S

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Amid demands by some ministers that three deputy chief ministers should be appointed in Karnataka, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday said such demands should not arise when elections are around the corner.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge (HT file)

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Denying that he has received any such demand yet, Kharge said the party leaders should focus on addressing people's woes. When asked about the demand for three deputy chief ministers in the state, Kharge said, "Ask Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar."

Stating that the matter should first come to him for consideration, the Congress president said it has not yet been brought to him.

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In a rebuke of the leaders raising the demand, Kharge said, "Such speculations should not be brought during elections. We should focus on the functioning of the government, people's problems and the implementation of the guarantees."

He said Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have been working towards achieving these goals. "Till we achieve our goals, we should not talk about such things," Kharge added.

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Recently Karnataka Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna raised the demand for appointing three deputy chief ministers in the state saying it would help the Congress win maximum seats in the Lok Sabha elections.

He even cited the example of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where there is more than one deputy chief minister.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More