BENGALURU: A day after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was asked by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to step down, the former’s sympathisers, including ministers and MLAs, made a beeline to his official residence here on Wednesday and insisted that he must not resign.
Siddaramaiah, who paid tributes to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on his death anniversary at Vidhana Soudha and later received the Socio-Economic and Educational Survey report by the Backward Classes Commission in the evening, broke his silence during the day only to say that he would speak on Thursday.
Former minister RV Deshpande who met Siddaramaiah told reporters that the CM would keep word he has given to the party high command. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil said that he along with other leaders met the CM but he did not speak on the leadership issue.
So far, the Congress high command has not issued any statement on leadership change since it considers any abrupt move would draw the ire of the followers of the AHINDA leader.
It is expected that Siddaramaiah is likely to make an announcement on his resignation after holding a breakfast meeting with his cabinet colleagues on Thursday. He has sought time to meet Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot at Lok Bhavan at 3 pm on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister, who was visibly upset, skipped Nehru’s death anniversary function at the KPCC office but met his sympathisers at his residence.
Returning to Bengaluru from New Delhi on Tuesday late night Siddaramaiah held talks with the ministers who were with him during the trip till 2 am on Wednesday.
It is learnt that most of the ministers advised him not to quit saying that they will collect signatures of MLAs in his favour and send it to the party high command. Apparently they are worried about their political future if Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar succeeds Siddu as Chief Minister.
Ministers Zameer Ahmed Khan, Dr HC Mahadevappa, Dr MC Sudhakar, Santosh Lad, MB Patil, RB Thimmapura, KJ George and K Venkatesh also held discussions. In between, some MLAs paid courtesy calls. His residence was crowded with hundreds of loyalists from different parts of the state. The emotionally charged supporters spoke to TV channels insisting that Siddaramaiah must not resign.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara, whose name Siddaramaiah had reportedly pitched for the CM post under Dalit quota, took part in ‘homa and havan’ rituals at his Sadashiva Nagar residence on Wednesday. The rituals have been going on for last five days as he is hoping to become CM, a leader told The New Indian Express.
His acolyte and former MLC MC Venugopal has been lobbying for the support of legislators ahead of the CLP meeting, he added.