BENGALURU: As Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is eager to consolidate his position to continue as CM by effecting a cabinet reshuffle, Deputy Chief Minister K Shivakumar and his younger brother DK Suresh put all-out efforts to counter it. They met AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence in Delhi on Sunday evening and held discussions.
Their meeting comes a day ahead of Siddaramaiah’s expected confabulations with Kharge and AICC General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal in Delhi on Monday. Siddaramaiah’s meetings are on the instruction of LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.
There is also speculation that the Siddaramaiah camp is trying to replace Shivakumar as KPCC president.
“I have built the party day and night. I am not the one who blackmails Congress. I have worked day and night to build it and will continue to do it to bring it to power again,” Shivakumar told reporters in Delhi, replying to rumours that he is planning to resign as KPCC president. “Why should I resign as KPCC president? My mental, physical and political health is fine,” he asserted.
He claimed that he is trying to get the dates of Kharge and Rahul for the foundation-laying ceremony of 100 Congress Bhavans in Karnataka.
“I have written a book called Gandhi Bharat. A date has to be fixed for its release. The Congress Foundation Day has to be celebrated. Who should do all this? I should do it myself. Why should I resign? There is no such situation arising now,” he said.
“As long as Congress asks me to work in this position, I will work like a disciplined soldier,” he added.
Asked if he discussed the cabinet reshuffle with Kharge, he said, “It is a matter for the chief minister. He will discuss it with the high command. If I am called, I will go. I am only going to fix a date for laying the foundation stone of the party offices. My wish is that Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge should lay the foundation stone together. The Parliament session will begin from December 1, and I request them to do it on any weekend.”
“I am paying Rs 2.30 crore for the approval of the building plan for the construction of the Congress office. An office is being built under the leadership of Ramalinga Reddy. Lands are also ready for the construction of 75-80 offices. We will do the construction of a hundred offices,” he said.
Only reshuffle, not leadership change: Dr G
Bengaluru: Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara on Sunday indicated that there will only be a cabinet reshuffle and not a leadership change in the state. He said Siddaramaiah and the Congress high command will decide on the cabinet reshuffle. “It is said that the high command has given permission for a reshuffle.
The media is saying it and this subject is coming out in the open. Now you can guess what’s happening with regard to the change of guard. Normally, leadership changes do not happen when the cabinet reshuffle takes place,” he said. According to him, there are many people who have put forth their demand to get a ministerial position. “Now, after getting permission for a reshuffle, the CM and the high command will do it,” he added.