Will complete full term as Karnataka CM: Siddaramaiah

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday asserted that he would hold the office for a full five years, despite a warning from the Congress leadership to all its legislators, leaders and ministers against making open remarks on issues such as leadership change and cabinet reshuffle

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday asserted that he would hold the office for a full five years, despite a warning from the Congress leadership to all its legislators, leaders and ministers against making open remarks on issues such as leadership change and cabinet reshuffle.

Karnataka chief minister asserts he will complete full five-year on the post. (PTI)

“Who has made the confusing statement? If someone irrelevant speaks, why should we attach importance to it?” the chief minister told reporters in Vijayapura, when asked about repeated confusing statements from those within the party about a change in leadership after two-and-a-half years of this government’s term.

“For five years, our government will be there...I am the chief minister, I will continue,” he added.

The Congress, which came to power in the southern state in May this year following a massive victory in the assembly polls by winning 135 of the 224 seats, has recently seen several leaders of its state unit voicing their opinion in public over the possible change in chief minister’s post.

On Sunday, senior Congress leader and state’s social welfare minister HC Mahadevappa asserted that Siddaramaiah would complete a full five-year term as the chief minister. His statement came in response to remarks made by party legislator from Mandya, Ravikumar Gowda, who on Friday claimed that deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar would assume the role of chief minister after completion of two-and-a-half years of Siddaramaiah government’s tenure.

On speculation about the appointment of three additional deputy chief ministers, Siddaramaiah said: “Who made such claims? All such decisions are made by the high command. The Congress is a national party, not a regional one. Nothing can be decided without consulting the high command. Neither I, as chief minister, nor the MLAs can alter the government. We have the high command; they will make the decisions.”

Following the assembly election results earlier this year, a fierce rivalry emerged between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister’s post. Ultimately, the Congress succeeded in persuading Shivakumar to assume the role of deputy chief minister. In May, a similar controversy surfaced when state minister MB Patil announced that Siddaramaiah would continue as the state’s chief minister for the entire five years.

Siddaramaiah has refrained from making any formal statement regarding the “power-sharing” or “rotational chief minister” arrangement, while Shivakumar has acknowledged his acceptance of the party’s “proposed formula”.

On Wednesday, Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, warned of action against those making public remarks on issues such as cabinet reshuffle and leadership change.

“Some of our ministers and MLAs have been making statements that violate party discipline, and we have cautioned them. I have instructed the PCC [Pradesh Congress Committee] president to take action if anyone strays from the party line,” Surjewala told reporters after a meeting with AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar at the party office in Bengaluru.