BENGALURU: PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi’s visit to New Delhi on Thursday, a couple of days after holding a meeting with cabinet colleagues, Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara and Social Welfare Minister Dr HC Mahadevappa, triggered fresh speculation as to who would be an alternative leader, should Chief Minister Siddaramaiah step down in future. The three, who are part of Siddaramaiah’s coterie, had also met him.
“They were thinking on the same lines... that Siddaramaiah would propose one of their names for the top post, with AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge dropping a hint on a change in guard,” a senior Congress leader told TNIE.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Satish, however, clarified that he is frequenting the national capital, as part of an exercise to guide his daughter Priyanka -- a first-time MP. Also, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, who is currently campaigning in Haryana, would meet him if he comes to New Delhi, Satish said.
On the three ministers, including himself, having a meeting, he clarified that there were no deliberations on a change in guard. “Our meeting is not to send any message. We did discuss politics since we should strongly back Siddaramaiah. Except for this, nothing else was discussed,” he claimed, when asked if talks were held concerning an alternative leader being named as the CM, should the situation arise.
Parameshwara also claimed that they had just met over coffee, and there was nothing official about it.
“I went to Mahadevappa’s house, where Satish joined us. We had to discuss various issues with the CM, who was at the power corporation. We together went to the CM. There is no need to interpret our meeting otherwise,” he suggested, adding that since only three of them met together, the meeting cannot be considered as a parley. He also rubbished the theory of the Opposition that Siddaramaiah is still considered a “migrant” in the Congress. “When did he join the Congress? Where is the question of he being an outsider when he became the CM a second time?” he stated.