BENGALURU/NEW DELHI: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah slammed the door Thursday on speculation about an imminent baton change with his deputy DK Shivakumar by declaring there was "no vacancy" at the top. He then threw down the gauntlet to any future challenger with the clincher: "I will lead party in 2028 state polls too."
Siddaramaiah, seen as being on shaky ground ever since his wife was named as an alleged beneficiary of Muda land-swap scam , acknowledged Shivakumar's chief ministerial ambitions but said he was realistic enough to accept that Karnataka had "a CM for the full term".
"I am very much here before you. I am the CM of Karnataka. That is what Shivakumar has said, and I am also saying it," he told reporters in Delhi. "Shivakumar has never stated that the CM should be changed," he said.
On few MLAs seeking a change and rooting for Shivakumar, the CM claimed their numbers were insignificant. "Few MLAs may support him, majority don't." Sidda said he and Shivakumar were answerable to party brass ... that was how it should be.
Shivakumar, too, is in Delhi, apparently waiting to meet party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and LS LoP Rahul Gandhi. Party insiders said Shivakumar was attempting to convince Siddaramaiah through Congress high command to accept a rotation formula for the chief ministership, as was the buzz when the party came to govt in 2023.
Siddaramaiah, seen as being on shaky ground ever since his wife was named as an alleged beneficiary of Muda land-swap scam , acknowledged Shivakumar's chief ministerial ambitions but said he was realistic enough to accept that Karnataka had "a CM for the full term".
"I am very much here before you. I am the CM of Karnataka. That is what Shivakumar has said, and I am also saying it," he told reporters in Delhi. "Shivakumar has never stated that the CM should be changed," he said.
On few MLAs seeking a change and rooting for Shivakumar, the CM claimed their numbers were insignificant. "Few MLAs may support him, majority don't." Sidda said he and Shivakumar were answerable to party brass ... that was how it should be.
Shivakumar, too, is in Delhi, apparently waiting to meet party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and LS LoP Rahul Gandhi. Party insiders said Shivakumar was attempting to convince Siddaramaiah through Congress high command to accept a rotation formula for the chief ministership, as was the buzz when the party came to govt in 2023.
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