Karnataka Cong infighting: Will follow party line, time will give answers, says Shivakumar
Mangaluru: Amid renewed speculation over a leadership tussle within the Karnataka Congress, Deputy Chief Minister and state party president D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday said he would abide by the party’s decision, adding that clarity would emerge with time.
Responding to questions on his supporters pushing for his candidature for the Chief Minister’s post, Shivakumar told reporters in Mangaluru, “People have dreams, MLAs have dreams, and even you (the media) have dreams. We have to listen to what the party says.”
Asked whether a power-sharing arrangement could come into effect after the state Budget, he said, “Time will give the answer.”
On Dalit organisations expressing their preference for Home Minister G. Parameshwara as Chief Minister, Shivakumar remarked, “Supporters will have their own aspirations. I cannot say no to that, and there is nothing wrong with it.”
The leadership debate has resurfaced after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s son and Congress MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah asserted that calls for a leadership change had not been accepted by the party high command and that his father would continue as Chief Minister for the full five-year term.
Yathindra made the remarks while speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Friday, amid reports that his comments were aimed at countering Congress MLA Shivaganga Basavaraj, a close aide of Shivakumar. Basavaraj had urged the party high command a day earlier to clear the confusion surrounding the leadership issue in the state.
Reacting to Yathindra’s statement, Shivakumar on Friday made a sarcastic remark, saying, “The Chief Minister’s son is our high command, and I will accept whatever he says.”
“He himself is our high command. Whatever he says, I will accept it with respect. Since he has made a statement as if he himself is the high command, let us accept him as the high command,” Shivakumar said.
Commenting on the recent Metro fare hike, the Deputy Chief Minister said the decision was taken by an independent committee and that the state government’s views were not sought.
“There is a separate committee to decide on metro fares, and it is headed by a Union government secretary. Our opinion was not taken on the fare hike,” he said, adding that he would review the matter after returning to Bengaluru.
“We do not want to cause inconvenience to the public. I will review the financial situation,” Shivakumar added.