Siddu, Shivakumar, supporters to refrain from speculative remarks on CM post

Maqsood Maniyar | NT

Bengaluru: The camps of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar appear to have agreed to a truce of sorts, willing to refrain from comments on power sharing.

The CM on his official visit to Mysuru on Sunday told media persons that he had directed his Cabinet colleagues to not comment on the fate of the post of CM.

Seeking to divert the blame to the common enemy in the BJP, he said: “It is the BJP that is doing all this. They say this. I’ve told our people to not make these comments.”

“Yesterday (Saturday), I called a breakfast meeting and told them to not make these statements. I advised them to speak on their department’s utilities and development instead, apart from discussions on the parliamentary polls,” he added.

On the very same day, Karnataka Congress chief Shivakumar said that he would issue a notice to party MLA from Ramanagara NA Iqbal Hussain, who is a supporter of the DK brothers.

A few days prior, Iqbal had said that the Deputy CM would be promoted to CM because it was a demand that was popular in all 224 constituencies.

“I intend to issue a notice to Iqbal Hussain as well. Someone told me he had spoken in my favour. I don’t need anyone’s recommendation,” Shivakumar told mediapersons.

Shivakumar and All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Surjewala had both warned MLAs and ministers in the past to not speak about power sharing, failing which they’d be issued notices.

Back and forth between 2 camps

Siddarmaiah had recently claimed that he would continue as CM for five years. The CM’s loyalists like Social Welfare Welfare Minister HC Mahadevappa had recently insisted on multiple occasions that the CM would continue in his post for five years.

Others such as Co-operation Minister KN Rajanna had predicted that Home Minister G Parameshwara would land the CM’s post after Siddaramaiah. Parameshwara, a long-time CM aspirant, had welcomed the statement.

Cabinet members from Shivakumar’s camp such as Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy had hit back, claiming that the Deputy CM would eventually be promoted to the head of government.

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Minister Priyank Kharge had been more cautious, insisting that “only three to four people” in the high command decided on the fate of the CM’s post and that Karnataka Congress leaders’ speculations about it “held no value”.

Pro-Shivakumar MLAs had also chimed in, confidently claiming that the Kanakapura MLA would be CM soon enough.