Mysuru (Karnataka), Nov 3 Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday expressed visible anger when a group of reporters repeatedly questioned him about deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar potentially replacing him as the head of the state government, terming the speculation as media-driven.
CM Siddaramaiah, responding to queries about leaders of the Bihari community in Bengaluru expressing a desire to see Shivakumar as the next Chief Minister, retorted sharply, asking the reporter if there was no other subject to discuss.
"It does not matter what people say. Anyone may say anything. Tell me, who is the high command?" he said in an irritated tone.
"It is Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge. Have they said anything on this? Then why raise it? You (media) are dragging the matter and bringing it up again and again. It is not what people say, it is you in the media who are giving it attention," he retorted.
"What was the need to raise this question? The decision rests with the high command. No other remark carries any weight," he said.
This marks the second instance in recent weeks where the Chief Minister has shown irritation over questions regarding a potential leadership change as the Congress government approaches the halfway mark of its term, amid persistent infighting within the state unit.
Regarding a possible Cabinet reshuffle, Siddaramaiah confirmed that he would discuss the matter with party leaders immediately after the conclusion of the Bihar elections, scheduled to be held in two phases on November 6 and 11.
The exchange follows Shivakumar’s public appeal to Biharis in Bengaluru on Sunday to vote for the Mahagathbandhan in the upcoming Bihar elections.
Speaking to reporters after addressing the Bihar Association at Coffee Board Layout in North Bengaluru, he remarked that although many had said he deserved a larger role, what mattered more to him was their support for the alliance in Bihar.
He observed that Nitish Kumar was nearing the end of his political career and noted that Tejashwi Yadav had already been named the coalition’s chief ministerial candidate.
On October 30, Siddaramaiah lost his temper when questioned about the prospect of Shivakumar succeeding him. When asked whether a change in leadership might take place in November as the Congress government completes half its term, he appeared irritated and asked who had made such statements and where they had been recorded.
When reporters pointed to media reports, he challenged them to identify the publication, stating that he reads all newspapers.
Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah refused to comment on the deadline for filling Bengaluru’s potholes, which lapses at midnight on Friday, and directed journalists to approach Shivakumar, who heads the Bengaluru Development portfolio.
The CM’s remarks come at a time when talk of internal discord within the Congress continues.
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