Will complete 5 yrs as Karnataka CM, says Sidda

The Congress on Wednesday appeared to have doused the flames of rebellion against Siddaramaiah, who declared that he would complete his term as Chief Minister, even as Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar, his competitor in the party, conveyed reconciliation to the development.

“Yes, I will be. Why do you have doubts?” said Siddaramaiah (76), when asked by reporters if he would be CM for five years.

Commenting on the CM’s statement, Shivakumar said, “What option do I have? I have to stand by him, support him (Siddaramaiah). I don’t have an objection. Whatever the party high command tells and desires, it will be fulfilled.”

The twin statements by the top Karnataka Congress leaders came as the AICC general secretary in-charge of the state continued his one-on-one meetings with the MLAs.

Siddaramaiah said these meetings were not a vent against him, but the party high command’s way of seeking accountability of MLAs to further strengthen the Congress.”

The CM said: “There is no disgruntlement in the party. He (Surjewala) is fixing accountability on matters related to the party and the organisation.”

For a while now, Shivakumar’s loyalists have been speaking about leadership change in the state, citing a rotational CM agreement reached with the AICC high-command when the party won the Karnataka election in 2023.

They stood silenced today with the stalwart OBC leader Siddaramaiah prevailing over intra-party detractors as his moorings cane to his advantage at a time of a raging caste census debate.