BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said any change in leadership in the state will be decided by the Conrgess high command and that he will remain CM until then. He was replying in the Assembly during the budget discussion and said everyone in the House has the ability to become chief minister, if given an opportunity.
When Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka referred to Speaker UT Khader’s ministerial ambitions, Siddaramaiah said Khader would remain in his current chair (Speaker post). He then questioned Ashoka, asking if BJP leaders like him, Aravind Bellad, V Sunil Kumar and BY Vijayendra did not also aspire to become the chief minister. “I will be happy if anyone of you becomes chief minister,” Siddaramaiah said.
BJP members questioned why he avoided naming Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC president DK Shivakumar as an aspirant for the top post.
BJP MLA Sunil Kumar even asked, “Siddaramaiah says he is happy if BJP leaders becomes chief minister. Why is he not taking the name of his colleague Shivakumar?”
Siddaramaiah, however, said all 224 MLAs have the capacity to become CM and named leaders like MB Patil, Shivanand Patil, Dinesh Gundu Rao and Eshwar Khandre, but once again did not name Shivakumar. Siddaramaiah reiterated that he will continue as CM until the high command decides.