Will be CM for full-term, asserts Siddaramaiah; DKS says 'What option I have? Have to stand by him'

Siddaramaiah on Wednesday asserted that he will be the Chief Minister of Karnataka for a full five-year term, following which a reconciled D K Shivakumar, said he will support him as he has ''no option'', indicating a truce between the two for the time being. Shivakumar also said he will fulfill the directions of the Congress high command.

The remarks by both the leaders came even as Congress General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, continued his one-on-one meetings with the party MLAs for the third consecutive day in the wake of internal bickering in the party's state unit over the chief minister's position.

Responding to a question about whether Surjewala's meetings will bring down disgruntlement in the party, Shivakumar said:''There is no disgruntlement in the party. He (Surjewala) is fixing accountability on matters related to the party and the organisation and how to prepare for elections from now itself.'' Earlier in Chikkaballapura, Siddaramaiah said the Congress party was united and the party's government will be in power ''solid as a rock'' for five years.

''Yes, I will be. Why do you have doubts?'' Siddaramaiah said in response to a question by reporters whether he will be the chief minister for five years.

Asked about the chief minister's statement, Shivakumar responded: ''What option do I have? I have to stand by him, support him (Siddaramaiah). I don't have any objection to it. Whatever the party high command tells and whatever it desires, it will be fulfilled.'' There has been speculation within political circles, especially within the ruling Congress, about the Chief Minister change later this year, with some of the Shivakumar supporters pushing for his elevation, citing a power-sharing agreement involving Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister's post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May 2023, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy CM.

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 the chief minister after two-and-a-half years, but there was no official confirmation by the party.

Asked whether the party is not backing him despite his supporters rooting for him to become chief minister, citing his sacrifice for the party, Shivakumar said, ''I don't want to discuss anything. Lakhs of workers have supported this party. It is not only D K Shivakumar.'' Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress president, while making it clear that party discipline is important, said that he has not asked anyone to make him the CM, and warned that notices will be issued to leaders who make public statements on the leadership change issue.

On Tuesday, he issued a show cause notice to Ramanagara MLA H A Iqbal Hussain, who has been making statements that Shivakumar should become the chief minister.

''I have given notice to him. Will have to give notice to others, too. Discipline is important. I have not asked anyone to take my name, to make me chief minister. There is no need for it. When the chief minister (Siddaramaiah) is there, there is no need for any discord,'' Shivakumar told reporters here.

Meanwhile, Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra claimed that Surjewala arrived in the state to ''prepare grounds'' for Siddaramaiah's resignation.

The state's administrative machinery has collapsed, and governance is in disarray. Infighting among Congress legislators is worsening, and development work has come to a standstill, he alleged.

''Congress leader Randeep Surjewala has been in Bengaluru for the past few days. Why is he here? He is not bothered about the downturn of the corrupt Congress government,'' Vijayendra told reporters here.

The AICC president is gathering MLAs' views and is preparing grounds to remove Siddaramaiah from the CM's post. The fight for the top post has intensified, due to which horse trading would happen in the state, he claimed.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)