BENGALURU: With the Siddaramaiah camp trying to project a Dalit leader as a contender for the CM post, if it’s inevitable for the chief minister to step down, the DK Shivakumar camp is likely to escalate the power transfer issue before the Budget session.
They are planning to project Shivakumar as a leader next only to Siddaramiah in terms of popularity.
A couple of days ago the Karnataka Congress had posted an 18-second video on social media platform, X, depicting Shivakumar as a ‘mana gedda jananayaka’ (a popular leader who won hearts). In a comic video a doctor probes hearts of people only to find DK Shivakumar.
Meanwhile, more names including that of Industries Minister MB Patil are being floated as contenders for the top post.
Madduru MLA Kadaluru Uday on Wednesday urged the Congress high command to take a decision at the earliest. But RDPR minister Priyank Kharge hit back saying the high command will take the decision at an appropriate time.
Former cooperation minister Rajanna said the high command should first reward Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara with the CM post. “I wish Siddaramaiah to continue. But if there is a change of guard, a Dalit should become CM. If AICC president Mallikarjuna Kharge comes as CM we will be happy, otherwise Parameshwara should be rewarded”, he said. Parameshwara defended Rajanna. “Is there anything wrong in it? If there is a mistake, let’s know and we will fix it,” he told reporters. He said there should not be a public discussion on the issue.