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Kempe Gowda Jayanthi: Vokkaliga seer publicly asks Siddaramaiah to give up CM’s post to D.K. Shivakumar
“I request Siddaramaiah, who has already held CM’s post, to give it up for Mr. Shivakumar,” said Vishwa Vokkaligara Mahasamsthana Mutt seer Chandrashekhara swami at Kempe Gowda Jayanthi
The ongoing demand for creation of multiple posts of Deputy Chief Ministers, which is being seen as an attempt to scuttle political influence of incumbent Dy.CM D.K. Shivakumar, took a twist on Thursday (June 27) with Vishwa Vokkaligara Mahasamsthana Mutt seer Chandrashekhara swami publicly requesting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to give up his post to Mr. Shivakumar.
The seer made the request in the presence of both the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, while participating in the 515th birth anniversary of Bengaluru founder Kempe Gowda, organised here by Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda Heritage Area Development Authority, BBMP and Kannada and Culture Department.
‘Bless DKS’
“Various leaders have occupied chief minister’s position and experienced power. Only Mr. Shivakumar has not got this post yet. Hence, I request Mr. Siddaramaiah, who has already held this post, to give up the position for Mr. Shivakumar and bless him. This can happen only if Mr. Sddaramaiah makes up his mind. I request him to make Mr. Shivakumar the next chief minister,” the seer said.
Voices supporting multiple Deputy Chief Minister posts grow louder
Later, the seer told TV channels that Mr. Shivakumar “deserved the Chief Minister’s post” as he played a crucial role in organising the party ahead of 2023 Assembly polls. “If Mr. Siddaramaiah is a dharmavantha (one who abides by dharma) he should give up his post now,” he said.
He also claimed that he was not demanding the post for the Vokkaliga community and that he was only speaking about the role of Mr. Shivakumar in bringing the party to power.
‘Up to high command’
Both Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Shivakumar desisted from responding to the remarks of the seer at the programme as they had already completed their address to the gathering. However, later, talking to media persons, Mr. Siddaramaiah evaded a direct reply and only stated that the Congress high command would take the final call on such issues.
The context and programme in which the seer made the remarks has assumed significance. It may be noted that the demand for creation of multiple Deputy Chief Minister’s posts on the basis of communities has re-surfaced soon after the Lok Sabha election results were announced. This is being viewed in political circles as an attempt to scuttle the influence of Mr. Shivakumar, who is being seen as a potential successor to Mr. Siddaramaiah in his capacity as president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).
The seer’s remarks came during a programme related to Kempe Gowda (also regarded an icon of the community), in which Mr. Shivakumar, who is the Vokkaliga face of the ruling Congress, had taken keen interest.
A section of the Congress leaders are seeing this as a counter-attack at those demanding multiple deputy chief minister’s posts.
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