BENGALURU: Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Satish Jarkiholi here on Friday said former Chief Minister and CWC member Siddaramaiah, who had headed the government twice, should now work towards ensuring that the Congress returns to power in the next Assembly elections in 2028.
He also ruled out any possibility of a change of leadership in Karnataka, asserting that Chief Minister D K Shivakumar would continue in office. It may be noted here that Satish was a close associate of Siddaramaiah as the former had identified with the AHINDA movement which catapulated the latter as CM twice.
Speaking to reporters, Jarkiholi said the Congress had already given Siddaramaiah the opportunity to become Chief Minister twice and there was no question of offering him another position."The party has made him Chief Minister twice. He should now work for the party. What more can the party offer him? He himself has said that he would work for the party and strive to ensure its victory in the next elections even without being the Chief Minister," he said.
He said Siddaramaiah had a responsibility to help the party return to power, given his experience as Chief Minister twice. "He will certainly work for it. The responsibility of bringing the government back to power rests with him as well," he added.
Rejecting speculation about another change of guard, Jarkiholi said Shivakumar would continue as Chief Minister and there was neither a need nor a situation warranting a leadership change."There is no question of a third Chief Minister. D K Shivakumar will continue as Chief Minister. There is no need for a change, nor is there any such situation," he said, dismissing the Opposition's especially BJP's claims about a possible third Chief Minister.
He said maintaining internal discipline and restraint was not new to the Congress and accused the BJP of unnecessarily raising the issue.
Asked about reports of Rahul Gandhi discussing leadership matters, Jarkiholi said he was unaware of what Rahul Gandhi had said."It has been only six months. The Chief Minister needs time to run the government successfully and deliver good governance. Let him have that time. That is our objective," he said.
"Work together in Hiriyuru byelections". On the forthcoming Hiriyur Assembly by-election, Jarkiholi said all Congress leaders and workers would work together to secure victory. He clarified that he had not been officially assigned any specific responsibility but would campaign as a party worker."We have worked together during the Shiggaon and Bagalkot by-elections and helped the party win. We will go to Hiriyur and do our work. Everyone's support is necessary to win," he said.
He said the Congress had an opportunity to win Hiriyur even if the BJP and JD(S) contested together. The party had won the constituency by a margin of around 35,000 votes in the previous election, he pointed out.
"Rajanna won't quit party", On former minister K N Rajanna's remarks that Congress MLAs should resign following the party's defeat in the recent Legislative Council elections, Jarkiholi said there was a difference between making statements and acting on them.
"Rajanna is in the party and will continue to remain in the party. I don't think he will leave. There is a considerable difference between what people say in particular circumstances and what they actually do," he said.
Reacting to Municipal Administration Minister H C Balakrishna's suggestion that Rajanna should leave the party rather than damage it from within, Jarkiholi said the party leadership would resolve the differences through discussions."The KPCC president and the Chief Minister will call the leaders concerned, discuss the issues and sort them out. Amid allegations and counter-allegations, it is difficult to establish who is right. The party leadership will take an appropriate decision. We do not have the authority to decide who should be expelled or who should leave," he said.