Bengaluru: The tussle for Karnataka chief ministership is getting more intense.
Though Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar have left the decision to the Congress high command, they have left no doubt that both are extremely keen on the chair.
Veteran politician Siddaramaiah, a nine-time MLA and former chief minister as well as deputy CM, told Times Now on Monday that a majority of the 135 elected MLAs backed him for the hot seat, while state party chief Shivakumar also made a strong pitch.
“I believe in one thing – a single man with courage makes a majority. I’ve proved it,” Shivakumar told newspersons before leaving for Delhi.
“I don’t want to disclose what happened in the last 5 years. Someday, I will disclose… I did not lose heart when our coalition government collapsed and many MLAs left,” Shivakumar added, in what looked to be a jibe against Siddaramaiah.
“Under my leadership, we have 135 MLAs and all of them in one voice said that the matter will be left to the party high command. I don’t have any personal number… Whatever I have is the Congress number. I assured Smt Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge that my aim is to deliver Karnataka to the Congress party and I did it,” he claimed, not for the first time.
Sidda, who already reached the national Capital earlier today, had reportedly suggested a power-sharing formula. While he was ready to be CM for 2 years, Shivakumar would hold the post for the next 3 years, India Today reported.
However, Shivakumar was learnt to have dismissed that proposal.
The MLAs, who met on Sunday, authorised Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge to name the chief after consultations with the party’s high command.
Sidda and Shivakumar worked together to help deliver a thumping majority for Congress – 135 seats in the 224-member Karnataka assembly.
But now their rift is out in the open.
