MYSURU: Leaders positioning themselves as potential chief minister candidates in the Congress is becoming common in the party. The latest to aspirants' list is former minister MB Patil. "I am also an aspirant for CM post like others," he said and cautioned that such wishes should not turn into an act of greed.
Patil, who was in Mysuru to pay condolensces to Suttur seer Shivarathri Deshikendra Mahaswamiji after the death of latter's mother recently, told mediapersons that he would not comment on the issue as per instructions of party state incharge Randeep Singh Surjewala.
He denied any infighting in the party over the matter and said the party will fight the upcoming assembly elections unitedly to realise the target of winning 150 seats. However, he flayed statements classifying Congressmen as migrants and natives which was recently raised by state party chief DK Shivakumar in a likely rebuttal to party MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan who has been projecting Siddaramaiah as the party’s CM candidate.
"It's wrong to bring such a distinction. Once they are in Congress, they are all Congressis. We are all in unison," he said. The Babaleshwar MLA said winning elections is priority for the party and the CM candidate will be decided on recommendations by the high command.
When asked about a likely leadership vacuum among Lingayats after BS Yediyurappa, Patil said there is no doubt that Yediyurappa is a tall leader, but there are second line of leaders from the community including himself, Khandre as well as others like Bommai, Yatnal and even new names like Bellad in BJP.
He added that it's up to the people to decide to position a leader as CM and not through self certification. The former minister also pointed out that vaccination coverage is the prime way of fighting subsequent pandemic waves and said both State and Central governments have failed in it.