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Karnataka ministers meet Kharge in Delhi as Siddaramaiah refutes speculations of leadership change
The meeting between Karnataka Cabinet ministers and Mallikarjun Kharge comes as CM Siddaramaiah earlier asserted that there was ‘no vacancy’ for his post.
Even as Siddaramaiah dismissed speculations of leadership change in the state, several Karnataka ministers on Thursday huddled with AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence in the national capital.
The development comes even as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar are camped in New Delhi.
Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah affirmed that there was "no vacancy" for the CM post in Karnataka, reiterating that he is the chief minister of the state.
While speaking to reporters in the national capital, he claimed that he will complete his five-year tenure as chief minister, brushing aside any talks of him paving the way for his deputy to take over the chair later this year.
Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are reportedly in Delhi, expecting a meeting with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, along with other central leaders of the party.
ALSO READ | 'What vacancy?': Siddaramaiah snaps at Karnataka CM change talk
Despite clearing the air several times, the buzz over Shivakumar taking over the Karnataka CM seat is still alive.
Congress MLC and Siddaramaiah's son, Yathindra, also asserted earlier in the day that his father will complete the full five-year term in office. He said that any decision on the leadership change has to be made by the Congress high command and party leaders.
Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, also clarified that no such issue exists before the party leadership.
‘Courtesy meeting’, ‘state political developments'
Meanwhile, members of the Karnataka cabinet, including Home minister G Parameshwara, law minister HK Patil, forest minister Eshwar Khandre, PWD minister Satish Jarikholi, social welfare minister HC Mahadevappa, housing minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, and medical education minister Sharan Prakash Patil, met with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge in Bengaluru.
None of the ministers revealed any details of the meeting; some said it was a courtesy meeting as the Congress chief was in town, while others said that the state's political developments were discussed.
ALSO READ | 'No cabinet reshuffle on cards': DK Shivakumar dismisses rumours over Karnataka government
"It was a cordial meeting as our national president had come, we met him. He inquired about the government's current activities and we discussed it, also the political situation," Jarkiholi said.
He added that the meeting was fixed around three days ago, and it did not have any connection to CM Siddaramaiah's statement.
Forest minister Khandre and health minister Gundu Rao also said that all the speculations should be put to rest as both Siddaramaiah and the high command have clarified that the leadership change is not on the cards.
Jarikholi also answered a question about Siddaramaiah's reported remark that Shivakumar has the support of fewer MLAs. "There was voting done (at the legislature party meeting) while choosing CM after 2023 assembly polls, and as Siddaramaiah got majority votes (of MLAs), he was made the chief minister. On the basis of that, he might have said that he has the support of more MLAs," he said.
Another confidant of Siddaramaiah, Mahadevappa, also said that he was announced as the CM after the high command collected the opinion of MLAs at the legislature party meeting following the 2023 Karnataka assembly election results.
"Siddaramaiah has now reiterated (on completing 5 years in office) based on what the high command had decided. I welcome his statement....Congress General Secretary, CM and DCM have said no discussion on leadership change, so Siddaramaiah will continue as CM," he said.
BJP leader R Ashoka, meanwhile, hit out at the Congress party and said that its leaders are more focused on power than on people.
"... now that Siddaramaiah has declared himself the supreme leader, Kharge finally has his answer, the real high command of Congress isn't in Delhi. It's in Bengaluru," he said.
