Siddaramaiah's 'CM for 5 Yrs' Statement Creates Stir in Cong; Priyank Kharge Says 'ready for Post'

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's statement that he is the CM for full term has stirred the Congress government as many claimants are raising their voices. DyCM D.K. Shivakumar's supporters raised “DK is future CM'' slogans in Hubballi on Friday, Minister Priyank Kharge threw his hat in the ring, and another minister batted for Parameshwar.

Kharge said that he was ready to become the CM if the high command asked him. On the other hand Minister for Cooperation K.N. Rajanna maintained that state Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwar has all that goes to become the CM.

Minister Kharge speaking to reporters in Mysuru on power sharing in Karnataka, stated, information in this regard is known only to four persons in the party. Replying to CM Siddaramaiah’s statement that he will complete five years tenure, Kharge maintained, “The CM’s statement is personal. The high command should say this. If the high command says that I am the CM, I will say yes.”

Minister K.N. Rajanna during a programme in Tumakuru district maintained that Minister for Home Dr. G. Parameshwara has all chances to become the CM. “Parameshwara is presently Home Minister. In future, he can go to any post. Myself and Parameshwara are with CM Siddaramaiah until he is in the post. But, if in a situation where Siddaramaiah is not in the post, Parameshwara will be the CM,” he maintained.

D.K. Suresh, the Congress MP and DyCM Shivakumar’s brother, stated in Bengaluru that the post of CM is not vacant now. "The discussion on the post of CM when it is occupied is futile. CM Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have got mandate for delivering administration and presently Siddaramaiah is the CM and there should be no doubts about it, there is no threat to the government.

“AICC President will take the call. There might be personal opinions,” he maintained.

Minister for Transportation Ramalinga Reddy underlined that AICC had asked all leaders not to issue statements on power and internal matters of the party. "It applies to small as well as top leaders," he added.

Minister for Education Madhu Bangarappa reacting to the development maintained that the Congress high command will take care of the matter.

Reacting to the situation in the Congress, former Home Minister and BJP MLA Araga Jnanendra said that CM Siddaramaiah’s foundation was shaking and the state will witness a big political development.

Former DyCM and BJP MLA C.N. Ashwath Narayan also said that there was a simmering discontent within the Congress government and it would come out in public soon.