BENGALURU: Prominent Vokkaliga seers have demanded that the Congress leadership announce KPCC president DK Shivakumar as the next chief minister.
Hours before the CLP meeting on Sunday evening, the Vokkaligara Sangha convened a meeting to prevail upon the Congress leadership to announce Shivakumar as CM. Prominent seers of the community -- Nirmalananda Natha Swami of Sri Adichunchanagiri Mutt and Nanjavadhoota Swami of Spatikapuri Mutt -- took part in the meeting and said Congress has a tradition of making KPCC president the CM and the party should pick Shivakumar.
Nirmalananda Natha Swami said Shivakumar’s dedication helped Congress win the polls in a big way and the party should consider the sacrifices he made and the pain he underwent for being a committed and loyal worker of the party. “We appeal to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Siddaramaiah to give Shivakumar a chance to serve the people,” he said.
Siddu meets KJ George, MB Patil
Siddaramaiah also held a confidential meeting with former minister KJ George late on Saturday evening, which was also attended by former minister MB Patil, a Lingayat leader, who is also rumoured to be
in contention for the chief minister’s post. Siddaramaiah also met his supporter and Hebbal MLA Byrati Suresh at the latter’s apartment on Cunningham Road.
Shivakumar, a strong Vokkaliga leader, went on a temple run as he met two Veerashaiva Lingayat community religious heads at Kadasiddeshwara Mutt and Siddaganga Mutt in Tumakuru district.
The New Indian Express has also learnt from Congress circles that there are moves to placate senior leaders from the Dalit community by appointing one of them as deputy chief minister. However,
it is still not clear how many deputy chief ministers will be appointed.