Amid speculations about a change in the leadership and a Cabinet reshuffle in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday put the onus on the Congress high command, saying that he would remain in the post if the ruling party’s top body willed it.
Asked whether he would remain the chief minister for a second full term at an event organised by a television channel, Siddaramaiah said, “I don’t know. The high command is the one that takes the final decision. People have blessed me to be in this position for five years. If the high command takes a different decision, then a change will be in place.”
For any Congressman, the decision of the high command is final, he said.
Asked about his inching towards becoming the longest-serving chief minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said he did not believe in creating records. “Our objective is to be pro-people as long as we are in power. I don’t have it in my mind to break the record of D Devraj Urs as the longest-serving CM,” he said.
Later, replying to media queries at Mangaluru about whether he would complete his full term, the chief minister said he would remain as the head of the state government “if high command decides”.
Siddaramaiah’s remarks came amid intense speculations over a “November revolution”, which has been interpreted both as a possible leadership change or a Cabinet reshuffle when the Congress government hits mid-way in its five-year term. While the Siddaramaiah camp is confident of the Kuruba leader completing five years in office, supporters of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, an aspirant for the top post, have pinned their hopes on a mid-term leadership change.
Former minister K N Rajanna said the chief minister had told the high command that he would reshuffle the Cabinet only after two and a half years in power. “After two and a half years, if he gets permission to reshuffle the Cabinet, then his leadership is unaffected. If he does not get permission, political activities will take place,” he said.
Rajanna, considered to be part of the Siddaramaiah camp, was sacked earlier this year after his remarks on Rahul Gandhi’s “vote chori” allegations embarrassed the Congress leadership.
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Weighing in on the issue, Agriculture Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy said that discussions on a Cabinet reshuffle would happen after November 20. “Only when discussions are held can we know when it will happen. But there are indications of a reshuffle,” he said.
On October 25, Siddaramaiah said that even though the party high command asked him to reshuffle the Cabinet three to four months ago, he told the body that it should be done after the party completed two and a half years in office. On the same day, Revenue Minister Krishna Byregowda said that others should be given an opportunity to be part of the Cabinet, adding that he was ready to step down if the high command asked him to do so.