Siddaramaiah to continue as Chief Minister beyond November: Sources

Bengaluru

Contrary to media reports suggesting that Siddaramaiah will step down as Chief Minister (CM), multiple sources within the party and a few independent sources told blrpost.com that there will be no change in leadership in November. The sources further stressed that he will contine as CM beyond November.

A source close to Siddaramaiah said, “Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi, is currently uninterested in a leadership change in Karnataka, as it may damage the Congress party’s prospects.” On the other hand, no formal agreement has been reached between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar over power sharing. There are speculations that Siddaramaiah had agreed to hand over the post to Shivakumar after the government completes two and a half years in office.

Another highly placed independent source privy to several political developments said the Congress High Command has taken note of Shivakumar’s alleged hobnobbing with the BJP, reportedly with the support of state BJP president B. Y. Vijayendra and LoP (Assembly) R. Ashok. The High Command has also taken a dim view of Shivakumar’s act of singing the RSS anthem on the floor of the House. More significantly, the party leadership is aware that Shivakumar does not enjoy sufficient support among MLAs—a key requirement for anyone aspiring to the top post.

This is also the very reason why the BJP High Command did not entertain Vijayendra’s bid to bring Shivakumar into the party fold. Shivakumar’s ‘tainted’ image continues to deter both parties from accommodating his political ambitions.

The source further said the Congress leadership was not happy with Shivakumar sharing the stage with Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a Shivaratri event organised by spiritual leader Jaggi Vasudev in February.

According to the same source, Siddaramaiah enjoys strong support from MLAs and has loyalists who are willing to walk out with him if necessary. The Congress leadership is expected to act cautiously regarding any leadership change, as an abrupt or sudden move could destabilise the state government. These concerns have reportedly been conveyed to the High Command.

M. B. Maramkal, former Times of India journalist and political analyst, told blrpost.com that the media has misinterpreted Yathindra Siddaramaiah’s statement. Siddaramaiah’s son had only said that after his father, Satish Jarkiholi has the capability to lead the OBC (Other Backward Classes) community. Yathindra did not mention any change in the Chief Minister’s position. The current political climate remains favourable to Siddaramaiah, and he is expected to continue as Chief Minister, Maramkal added.