Leadership change: Will abide by Cong high command's decision, says CM Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said he would abide by the decision of the Congress high command on the issue of leadership change, amid a political tussle within the ruling party.

A Vokkaliga seer last week publicly requested Siddaramaiah to step down and make way for his deputy D K Shivakumar. “It is not a matter to be discussed in public. Whatever decision the high command takes, we will go by it,” Siddaramaiah told reporters when asked about Vishwa Vokkaligara Mahasamsthana Mutt seer Chandrashekhara Swami's appeal.

“I don't want to comment on what Swamiji says. Ours is a national party. There is a high command,” the Chief Minister added.

There have also been demands by some Ministers perceived to be close to Siddaramaiah to create more posts of Deputy Chief Minister and given to leaders from Lingayat, SC, ST, and minority communities. The move is seen in some quarters as an attempt to clip the political wings of Shivakumar, who is also the State party chief.

Shivakumar, a member of the Vokkaliga community, is currently the only Deputy Chief Minister in the Siddaramaiah government.

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the Chief Minister's post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May last year, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy Chief Minister.

There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational chief minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after twoand-half years but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.

Shivakumar has made no secret of his ambition to become Chief Minister, while Siddaramaiah had sought public support during the Lok Sabha polls so that the Congress wins maximum number of seats in the state, which would strengthen his position.