Amid intense speculation about his removal, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah announced on Thursday that there is “no vacancy” for the CM’s post. To buttress his claim, he added that Karnataka deputy CM DK Sivakumar— a claimant for the top post— also believes this.
“As far as party is concerned, there is no question of changing the leadership. The question doesn’t arise at all. I am elected for the full term,” Siddaramaiah said.
That is what DK Shivakumar said, and I am also saying it... there is no vacancy (for CM). I am pretty much here before you. I am the Chief Minister of Karnataka,” Siddaramaiah told the media.
Both the CM and the deputy CM have camped in Delhi after the Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Surjewala went to Bengaluru to hold a series of meetings with party MLAs, MLCs, MPs and senior leaders, fueling speculations that a change of guard in the state was imminent.
Siddaramaiah’s comment came even as he waited for an appointment with Lok Sabha’s Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
Two senior Congress leaders said replacing Siddaramaiah with DK Sivakumar would be a “major political gamble” by the Congress party. “Out of the three Congress CMs, Siddaramaiah is the only OBC face. Both Revanth Reddy and Sukhwinder Sukhu belong to upper caste. When Rahul Gandhi has changed the general direction of the party towards OBCs, SCs and STs, can the Congress afford to drop Siddaramaiah?” asked one of them, a senior Congress leader based in Bengaluru.
{{/usCountry}}Two senior Congress leaders said replacing Siddaramaiah with DK Sivakumar would be a “major political gamble” by the Congress party. “Out of the three Congress CMs, Siddaramaiah is the only OBC face. Both Revanth Reddy and Sukhwinder Sukhu belong to upper caste. When Rahul Gandhi has changed the general direction of the party towards OBCs, SCs and STs, can the Congress afford to drop Siddaramaiah?” asked one of them, a senior Congress leader based in Bengaluru.
{{/usCountry}}The other said that both the BJP and the Congress are eyeing the OBC votes. “Removing Siddaramaiah doesn’t sync with the overall plan of the Congress,” he added.
The first leader claimed that Siddaramaiah enjoys the support of a large number of MLAs. He is the undisputed leader of the Kurubas (the dominant OBC group in the state). The government will be destabilized (if he is asked to make way).”
On Wednesday Sivakumar said: “No cabinet reshuffle is on the cards. Myself and the chief minister are meeting central ministers to discuss various state issues.” The two Karnataka leaders met defence minister Rajnath Singh to push for projects in the state. Sivakumar also met Union ministers Pralhad Joshi and CR Patil.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on June 30 that it is up to the party high command to decide on such matters (reshuffle) and that one should not create any unnecessary problem.
“See, that is in the hands of the high command. Nobody can say here what is going on in the high command. This is left to the high command, and the high command has got power to take further action. But unnecessarily, one should not create a problem,” he told the media in Bengaluru.
A section of the Congress claimed that in 2023, when the Congress assumed power in the southern state, there was an arrangement that Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar would share the CM’s post for 2.5 years. Both leaders have denied this.