Congress high command’s decision is final on three more Deputy CMs, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah
Some Ministers have been lobbying that leaders from Veerashaiva-Lingayat, SC/ST and minority communities be given the post of Deputy Chief Minister
With the demand to create three more posts of Deputy Chief Ministers cropping up again, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the decision is up to the Congress high command.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on June 26, Mr. Siddaramaiah said, “Whatever the high command decides is final.”
Those lobbing for the post
Some Ministers have been lobbying that leaders from Veerashaiva-Lingayat, SC/ST and minority communities be given the post of Deputy Chief Minister. At present, KPCC chief D.K. Shivakumar, a member of the Vokkaliga community, is the only the Deputy Chief Minister in the Siddaramaih-led government.
A section Congress leaders believe that the statement by Ministers seeking three more Deputy Chief Ministers is part of the strategy by Mr Siddaramaiah’s loyalists to keep Mr Shivakumar in check amid talks that he might seek the Chief Minister’s post after two-and-a-half years of this government’s tenure, and to counter his influence, both in the government and the party.
Co-operation Minister K.N. Rajanna, Housing Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan, Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi, and a couple of others, all considered close to the Chief Minister, raised the demand for three more Deputy Chief Ministers. Mr Jarkiholi even went to Delhi to meet the central leaders and present his case for more deputy CMs in the State Government.
Congratulates to Rahul Gandhi
Mr. Siddaramaiah congratulated Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his elevation to the post of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha on June 26.
The Chief Minister had suggested and moved a proposal at a recent Congress Working Committee meeting in Delh in this regard.
“To face the BJP government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I had urged that Rahul Gandhi should become the Leader of Opposition. So did the working committee, and others. Rahul Gandhi accepting this responsibility in the interest of the country,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said, “On behalf of the INDIA bloc, and on behalf of the people of the country, I would like to congratulate Rahul Gandhi for accepting our demand. I would like to congratulate Sonia Gandhi and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge for taking the bold decision and for insisting that he (Rahul) accept this responsibility,” Mr Shivakumar told reporters in Bengaluru.
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