K'taka Cong leaders squabble over CM post as Siddaramaiah faces probe

 A verbal duel of sorts has erupted between two senior ministers -- M B Patil and Shivanand Patil -- about seniority as the yardstick to become the Chief Minister.

As Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's petition challenging the governor's sanction for his prosecution in a site allotment case is being heard in the high court, some Congress leaders seem to have chosen to weigh in for the top post in the event of leadership change.

All Congress leaders and ministers are, however, maintaining that Siddaramaiah will continue in the post.

A verbal duel of sorts has erupted between two senior ministers -- M B Patil and Shivanand Patil -- about seniority as the yardstick to become the Chief Minister.

"There are people senior to me, but seniority is not the only yardstick. There is no question of change in Chief Minister now, Siddaramaiah is there as the Chief Minister, he will be there, and will continue in the future too, so the talk about changing CM is irrelevant," M B Patil said.

Speaking to reporters, he said, "However, in becoming the Chief Minister, seniority or juniority is not a major (yardstick). I'm also a senior in Congress, I'm in the Congress party even before 1991, it has been about 35 years now. So, I'm also a senior, but seniority is not the only yardstick."

"One day or the other I will become the Chief Minister, I have desire, but don't have greed. As per Shivanana Patil's logic, if seniority has to be considered -- he has said I will have to wait, let's agree to it. But, he has recently come to the party from Janata Dal, BJP, he is not in the line. From Vijayapura district, if someone has to become CM, it is me, no one else," he added, while rejecting Shivananad Patil's statement as "personal opinion".

Earlier, noting that he has no desire to become CM, Shivanand Patil, when asked if he supported M B Patil, said that there were many people who were senior to him in the party.

"There are many people who are seniors to him (M B Patil). Are there no seniors? He will have to wait, shouldn't you wait when there are seniors?" he asked.

Once again ruling out himself from the CM race, Shivanand Patil on Sunday in Vijayapura said: "I have only said that I will be happy if seniors who have worked and built the party and are waiting, become the CM, nothing else."

Reacting to M B Patil, he said, "I'm also aware that seniority is not the only yardstick, but many have worked in many ways for the party, they have become party presidents and built the party and have helped it to come to power, they had desire to become CM, but someone became, there are several such seniors in the party. They should become (CM), we as juniors should wish for it."

When pointed out that Siddaramaiah too, like him, came to Congress from another party -- JD(S), Shivanand Patil said, M B Patil seems to have forgotten that.

While, Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President D K Shivakumar is seen as a prime contender for the post in case of any change in leadership, names of senior Ministers like Home Minister G Parameshwara and PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi too are doing rounds, especially following their recent meeting with party leadership in New Delhi.

With M B Patil stating that Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge, Siddaramaiah and R V Deshpande are seniors to him, and reiterating that Siddaramaiah will continue as CM, Jarkiholi said that he never claimed to be a senior or junior.

He said he will wait till 2028, and the talk of CM change is irrelevant now, as Siddaramaiah will continue.

Senior Congress MLA and Administrative Reforms Commission Chairperson R V Deshpande too had recently expressed his wish to become the Chief Minister.

Responding to Deshpande's comments, Siddaramaiah had last week said: "Who makes the CM? It is the legislators and the high command, they will decide...."

Senior BJP leader and MP Jagadish Shettar, taking a dig at the Congress, said that "inside fight" has broken out within the party to become the CM and it is likely to intensify in the days to come, even though "everyone in the ruling party are telling to the outside world" that they are all united behind Siddaramaiah.

"R V Deshpande started it, then M B Patil, Parsmwahwara, Satish Jarkiholi, the queue is big, and D K Shivakumar thinks that he is the legitimate claimant and is making all efforts internally. The Congress government will face trouble because of its infighting," he said.

The Karnataka High Court will resume on Monday hearing on Siddaramaiah's petition challenging the legality of Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot's sanction for his prosecution in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority site allotment case.

The Governor on August 16 accorded sanction under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for the commission of the alleged offences as mentioned in the petitions of Pradeep Kumar S P, T J Abraham and Snehamayi Krishna.

On August 19, Siddaramaiah moved the high court challenging the legality of the Governor's order.