Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar on Thursday mocked the demand from some ministers to create three more posts of deputy chief minister, saying they will get no “solution” by discussing it before the media. Some of the ministers have been pitching for leaders from Veerashaiva-Lingayat, SC/ST and minority communities to be given the post of deputy.
At present, Shivakumar, a member of the Vokkaliga community, is the deputy to chief minister Siddaramaiah. “Let those speaking to papers (newspaper or media) go and speak to high command, get a solution and come. Let them go and get whatever solution they want. There is no need to discuss before the media. I will also not discuss anything before the media,” Shivakumar said, making no secret of his displeasure.
“Let anyone go and get whatever solution they want, who will say don’t? Neither newspapers nor TV channels will give a solution for this, you (media) only give publicity, that’s all,” he told reporters.
To a question regarding demand from some quarters in the party about the need to change the KPCC (state Congress) president — the post he holds, Shivakumar said, “Very happy, they should not waste time, they should go and find a solution for it… let them go and find solution from wherever they want, we don’t have any objection.”
According to sources, Siddaramaiah has apparently urged ministers not to issue statements seeking additional deputy CM posts in public. He is said to have spoken to minister KN Rajanna, who is at the forefront with such a demand, over the phone and cautioned him against making any more public statements on the issue. He added that public statements on this would negatively impact the government and the party.
A section within the Congress is of the opinion that the statement by the ministers seeking three more deputy CMs, was part of a plan by Siddaramaiah’s camp to keep Shivakumar in check, amid talks he might seek the CM post after two-and-a-half years of this government’s tenure, and to counter his influence both in the government and party.
Cooperation minister Rajanna, housing minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, public works minister Satish Jarkiholi and a couple of others — all considered to be close to Siddaramaiah — earlier this week once again raised the pitch for three more deputies.
The Congress had decided that Shivakumar will be “the only” deputy CM amid stiff competition between him and Siddaramaiah for the CM’s post after the assembly election results in May last year, as per party sources. It was also said to be a “commitment” made by the Congress leadership to Shivakumar while convincing him to give up his claim for the CM post and to take up the role of deputy, sources said.
Rajanna, reacting to Shivakumar’s statement, said: “We will speak with high command regarding our demand (for three more DCMs), also elsewhere, what is wrong in it? There is nothing that we have to follow what DK Shivakumar says. We have our own mind. I’m a law graduate. I will work or speak, according to my mind. Let him (Shivakumar) say that we are doing it (demanding three more DCMs) for publicity, I have no issues….I have shared my feelings with you (media) when you asked me. Let him take however he wants — right or wrong, I have no objections,” he said, adding that the CM post is not vacant now to fill up, while deputy posts are vacant so there is a demand for them to be filled up.
“Ultimately, it is left for high command to decide,” he said.
Leaders in Shivakumar’s camp, meanwhile, also seem to have started coming out openly in support of their leader. Channagiri Congress MLA Basavaraju V Shivaganga on Wednesday (June 26) urged the party to make Shivakumar the CM.
Rajanna, also hinting about the need to change state president, had said the party after assembly polls announced three things — Siddaramaiah will be CM, Shivakumar will be lone deputy, and that he (Shivakumar) will continue as party president till Lok Sabha elections.
“I will remind the party about the third point,” he added.
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