Siddaramaiah says will continue as CM for 5 yrs, rules out mid-term change

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday asserted that he would hold the office for a full five years.

The clarification came in the wake of speculation within a section of the ruling Congress about a change in leadership after two-and-half years of this government's tenure.

"Who has made the confusing statement? If someone useless speaks, why do you give importance to it" Siddaramaiah told reporters in Hosapete, when he was asked about repeated confusing statements from those within the party about CM change.

Asked to give clarity on whether he would head the government for a full five years, he said, "For five years our government will be there...I'm the chief minister, I will continue."

On the speculation about having three more deputy chief ministers, he said, "Who said? All this is decided by the high command. Congress is not a regional party, it's a national party. Nothing can be decided without discussing with the high command. Neither me as the chief minister or MLAs can change the government. We have the high command; they will decide."

Ever since this government came to power, there have been claims and counter claims within the party about the chief minister being changed, saying Siddaramaiah may have to make way for Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President D K Shivakumar after two-and-half years of this dispensation.

Siddaramaiah was sworn in as chief minister on May 20 this year after the Congress posted a landslide victory ousting the BJP from power.

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister's post after the assembly election results came out in May this year. The Congress party managed to convince the latter to accept the post of deputy chief minister.

There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached, according to which Shivakumar would become CM after two-and-half years, but this has not been officially confirmed by the party.

Reacting to questions on Siddaramaiah's remarks, Shivakumar in Bengaluru merely said, "I have not spoken anything anywhere, I will not speak as well. I only know to abide by what the party says, nothing else."

However, Ramanagara Congress MLA Iqbal Hussain, who is a close confidant of Shivakumar said it is the desire of a large number of people, party workers and leaders that Shivakumar become the chief minister.

"It is our dream to see Shivakumar as the Chief Minister... Siddaramaiah is also our leader. As CM the last time, he gave good programmes. This time, too, he is doing good. But, our leader Shivakumar will definitely become the CM after one or one-and-a-half years. It is our desire, our leader must become the CM," he told reporters in Ramanagara.

Cracking the whip on party legislators, leaders and ministers making open remarks on issues such as cabinet reshuffle and leadership change, Congress General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday had warned of action against those violating party discipline.

He said this after a two-and-half hour long meeting with AICC General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal, Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, regarding issues related to the party and the government in the state as well as preparations for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Claiming that BJP was attempting an 'Operation Kamala/Lotus' but won't be successful, Siddaramaiah said his party would run a stable government for a full five years.

"People of the state have given us victory by giving us 136 seats in the elections held in May. We will run a stable government for five years. BJP is in disillusionment. They can't stay without power. As they have been once successful with 'Operation Kamala', they are trying to do it once again, but they will not succeed," he said.

'Operation Kamala' (Operation Lotus), a term coined by opposition parties, refers to an alleged attempt of the BJP to engineer defection of opposition legislators to install its own government and to ensure its stability.

Responding to a question on BJP MLA and former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi predicting the collapse of the Congress government in the state, Siddaramaiah said, "He doesn't have any other work. After losing, they (BJP) don't have any work, so they are speaking whatever they want."