Mysuru, Nov 21 Amid the leadership row and the Delhi visit by a group of Ministers and MLAs reportedly seeking a change in leadership in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Friday, asserted that he will continue as the Chief Minister and present the state budget for the remaining of the government's term.
Speaking to reporters at Mandakalli Airport in Mysuru, Siddaramaiah made the remarks while responding to queries on the leadership issue within the Congress-led state government.
When asked whether he would present the state budget this year and for the rest of the term, the Chief Minister replied, "Why are you (media) asking this question? Yes, I will continue as the Chief Minister and will also present the budget."
Responding to a query on whether he would meet Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Siddaramaiah said, "Kharge is coming to Bengaluru today, and I will meet him tomorrow (Saturday)."
Commenting on the leadership row in Karnataka, he said, "Has the Congress high command made any comment in this regard? Whatever they decide, we will follow. All must abide by the High Command's decision -- MLAs, Ministers, me, everyone."
"Everything will be decided by the high command. I will inform the media whenever they communicate anything."
When reporters asked when the Congress high command would convey its decision, Siddaramaiah curtly told them to ask the high command directly.
The Chief Minister reiterated, "The high command will make the decision. Whether it is leadership change or Cabinet reshuffle, who decides? The high command. Has anyone from the high command spoken about this? Nothing can be done until they do. Some people spoke earlier too, and even now they have gone (to Delhi)."
He stressed that any decision taken by the Congress high command must be followed by him, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and all others.
When asked about the comments made by former MP and younger brother of Deputy CM Shivakumar, D.K. Suresh, who said he stands by his commitments, Siddaramaiah said, "I will not go back on my words. I have implemented all the guarantee schemes."
When asked if Suresh's remarks were an indication of a power-sharing arrangement, Siddaramaiah responded that such matters would be decided by the party high command.
On the Delhi visits of Congress MLAs and Ministers, the Chief Minister asked, "Is there any rule that they should not go to Delhi?"
He added, "I don't know whether Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy has gone to Delhi, but the Deputy CM has already made a statement on this. What more should I say? I spoke to Minister Cheluvarayaswamy; he told me he is in Delhi. Even today, during a video conference, he told me he was there to meet the Union Agriculture Minister."
Meanwhile, a senior leader and Financial Advisor to the Chief Minister said in Bengaluru that leadership change is not a trivial matter.
"For a new Chief Minister to be appointed, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) must take a decision, and party veterans will guide the process. All MLAs would need to be convened for a CLP meeting."
"Without any such process, claims about changing the Chief Minister hold no meaning. The discussion is unnecessary and irrelevant," Siddaramaiah said.
On Thursday afternoon, MLAs from Shivakumar's faction flew to Delhi in two separate aircrafts. Led by Agriculture Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy, the group included legislators K. Ranganath, S. R. Srinivas, Ganiga Ravi, Kadaluru Uday, Iqbal Hussain, T.D. Rajegowda, Shivanna, Mahendra Tammannavar, Sugar Minister Shivanand Patil, MLCs S. Ravi, and Dinesh Gooligowda.
Ministers Cheluvarayaswamy and Shivanand Patil have said that they have reached Delhi on departmental work and they are not meeting the Congress's national leadership over any political matter concerning the state.
Political unrest is intensifying within the Karnataka Congress as the government completes the two-and-a-half-year mark on Friday.
The faction loyal to Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar has reached Delhi and begun exerting visible pressure on party leadership seeking leadership change, sources confirmed on Thursday.
Party leaders said that the Delhi push from Deputy CM Shivakumar's faction is coming in the backdrop of no clear message from the Congress high command regarding the long-pending power-sharing formula.
The development also comes after Deputy CM Shivakumar expressing his desire to step down as the State party President at an event and at the same time, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asserting that there is no leadership change in the state and discussion in this regard is unnecessary.
Sources close to the Deputy Chief Minister's faction said that the legislators who reached Delhi want to exert pressure on the Congress high command seeking clarity on the power-sharing arrangement.
They have also planned to insist on the earlier promise of transferring power after two-and-a-half years.
They will also demand the party's national leadership to hold negotiations and take a decision by December.
On Thursday afternoon, MLAs from Shivakumar's faction flew to Delhi in two separate aircrafts.
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