Rift widens as Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah trade blame
The next government in Karnataka is commited to fulfilling the 5 guarantees it made to the people of the state, says Surjewala
The impasse over the selection of Karnataka’s next chief minister continued on a fourth day on Wednesday with both Siddaramaiah and state Congress president DK Shivakumar not setling for anything lesser than the coveted post.
The Congress high command was hopeful of somehow finding a solution during a meeting on Wednesday in New Delhi.
Shivakumar is claiming that ater for nearly 25 years, Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities have voted for the Congress because of him and if he was not made the chief minister, the party would lose their support, according to the sources.
Shivakumar on Wednesday held a meeting with his loyalist MLAS at his brother’s residence here and also with the state in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala.
His meeting with the party MLAS came after he held a detailed meeting with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior party leader Rahul Gandhi at their residences earlier in the day.
Shivakumar refused to accept the post of Deputy Chief Minister and flatly declined to work with Siddaramaiah.
He told Kharge that instead he will remain an MLA and would not indulge in anti-party activities.
Shivakumar also told him that he will extend his full support if Kharge himself becomes the chief minister.
On the other hand, Siddaramaiah is citing the criminal cases against Shivakumar and arguing that if the later is made named the Chief Minister, the BJP will use it to atack the Congress at the national level.
Siddaramaiah stressed that the Ahinda vote bank has propelled the Congress to victory and he was their leader.
If he is not made the chief minister, Congress will lose next year’s Lok Sabha elections, the sources explained.
Shivakumar, who is one of the contenders for the chief ministerial post in the state, first met Rahul at 10 Janpath and the meeting lasted for over an hour.
Ater this, the Kanakapura MLA arrived at the residence of Kharge and their meeting lasted for over one and half hours.
He then went to the residence of his brother DK Suresh, a party MP and held meeting the party MLAS. However, it is yet not known what all Shivakumar discussed with them.
During the meeting, Congress MLAS Beluru Gopalkrishna, Virendra Pappi, HC Balakrishna, Ranganath, and Iqbal Hussain were present.
Subsequently surrounded by media, and asked if any discussion on the chief ministerial post took place at his meetings with Rahul and Kharge, Shivakumar said: “Nothing, no discussion, only pranaam.”
To a question, if he will return to Bengaluru on Wednesday night, he said, “I dont know.” Shivakumar then headed to Surjewala’s residence for a meeting with him.
Earlier in the day, speaking to media, Surjewala said: “Deliberations are currently underway by party President Mallikarjun Kharge. Whenever the party takes a decision, we will inform you. In the next 72 hours, there will be a new cabinet in Karnataka.” He also urged the media not to speculate or spread rumours and stay away from fake news.
“Don’t pay heed to fake information and rumours being spread by the BJP,” he said.
Targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Surjewala said the party takes around 10-15 days to decide on the chief ministerial post, “but here, the Congress president is holding deliberations to select the new chief minister.” Surjewala also said that the next Congress government in Karnataka is commited to fulfilling the five guarantees it made to the people of the state.
“We will implement the five guarantees as promised by Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi,” he said.
He also said that the party will ensure there is no “40 per cent commission government” in the state.
The Congress president till now has not made any announcement regarding the new Chief Minister in Karnataka. However, it has been learnt that many people are in favour of Siddaramaiah for the top post.