NEW DELHI: Siddaramaiah has underlined his intention to remain Chief Minister of Karnataka despite steadily increasing pressure from his deputy, DK Shivakumar, who has pinned hopes of a mid-term leadership change on an unspoken 2023 deal – that the two will ‘share’ the state’s top job, each holding it for 2.5 years.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asserts high command support amid state leadership tussle, firmly denying any 2.5-year seat-sharing pact with rival DK Shivakumar.
‘Both of us will go’: What Shivakumar said on Delhi visit to meet party high command.
Shivakumar’s statement comes a day after Siddaramaiah asserted in the Assembly that he would continue in office.
Amid the ongoing power tussle in Karnataka between chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, the latter on Saturday said the Congress high command has told the two leaders as to when they will be called to Delhi to discuss the matter.
“I will inform you, I won’t do anything without informing you. I will not go hiding from you,” Shivakumar was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. He was responding to reporters’ questions on whether he and Siddaramaiah’s were likely to visit the national capital to meet the party high command. “They have told something to both of us, they have told both of us over phone as to when they will call us. We will go, both of us will go,” he said,
“They (high command) have said they will call both of us at the appropriate time, we will wait for the call,” the Karnataka Congress chief added.
Speaking during a discussion in the Assembly on issues related to the development of North Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said he had never claimed that his tenure as chief minister would be limited to half the term.
“I am confident that the high command will allow me to complete five years’ term,” he said while responding to a query from BJP MLAs on whether the government’s promises to North Karnataka would be fulfilled during his tenure,” he said.
Speaking during a discussion in the Assembly on issues related to the development of North Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said he had never claimed that his tenure as chief minister would be limited to half the term.
“I am confident that the high command will allow me to complete five years’ term,” he said while responding to a query from BJP MLAs on whether the government’s promises to North Karnataka would be fulfilled during his tenure,
Pictures credit; social media
