A day after Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna indicated that Public Works Department minister Satish Jarkiholi will be the next Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief, Jarkiholi Sunday played down the remarks.
Responding to media queries in Belagavi, Jarkiholi said, “It might be his personal opinion. He had said it many times. It is not new. Let us wait for a decision.”
Rajanna had told reporters Saturday that a leadership change in the state was inevitable, and Jarkiholi would take over as the KPCC chief in the coming days. His remarks came after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, along with Cabinet ministers Jarkiholi, Dr H C Mahadevappa, and K J George, met All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge last week.
Jarkiholi said that any decision to change the KPCC president was with the party high command. On whether he would continue as minister if appointed KPCC president, he said that it was too early to comment. “We will discuss it if they make me KPCC president,” he said.
The comments gain significance ahead of the visit of Randeep Singh Surjewala, AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka, to the state on Monday.
Though there have been speculations about replacing Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar as KPCC chief for over a year, the Congress leadership is learnt to have delayed the decision.
Sources said that Eshwar Khandre – who holds the Forest, Ecology and Environment portfolio – is also a front-runner to replace the incumbent KPCC chief.