As the issue of a change in leadership in the state reverberated in the Karnataka Assembly Tuesday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah maintained he would continue in the post, while replying to a remark by Leader of Opposition R Ashok.
Responding to Ashok’s comments on the leadership tussle at the end of the Question Hour, Siddaramaiah advised the Opposition against adding fuel to the fire on issues like leadership change.
“Even if everyone in our party is quiet, the Opposition is not,” Siddaramaiah said, noting that the Congress party will not be distracted by the provocation by the Opposition.
“I am the CM. I am CM now, and until high command decides,” Siddaramaiah said, prompting a retort from senior BJP MLA Sunil Kumar, who asked why he had maintained that he would remain in the top post for the next five years.
When Sunil asked what would happen after January, Siddaramaiah said, “I will remain CM in the future too.”
Ashok responded, saying that the CM’s remarks should send a clear message to the Assembly, “as there were various reports (regarding CM change)”.
An Operation Lotus jibe
As the Treasury and Opposition benches engaged in a noisy exchange over the issue, Siddaramaiah said that, irrespective of the tactics employed by the BJP, the Congress would return to power in 2028.
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“Everyone is working towards that. The BJP will win fewer seats than it currently has,” he said, taking a dig at the saffron party for having never come to power in the state with a full majority.
“You came to power only through Operation Lotus. In the future, you will not be able to form a government on your own strength,” Siddaramaiah added.
Over the past month, speculation has intensified about Deputy CM D K Shivakumar replacing Siddaramaiah.
However, the Karnataka chief minister’s loyalists argue that he will remain in the post for the full term, and that the Congress high command is not keen on disturbing the current set-up.