KOPPAL: As change in leadership in the Congress government continues to be an issue, another aspirant for the chief minister’s chair, Basavaraj Rayareddy -- who is the economic adviser to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah -- muddied the field further by throwing in his hat on Monday.
But he countered himself by pointing out that the chief minister’s chair is not vacant and Siddaramaiah will continue to be CM for the entire tenure. The senior Congress leader said, “I am also a frontrunner for the chief minister’s post if any leader from Kalyana-Karnataka or the Lingayat community gets a chance.” He added to the confusion, saying, “Anyone whom Siddaramaiah refers to the post will become chief minister. If he blesses me, I will also become chief minister. Of course, many leaders are aspiring to be chief minister and there is nothing wrong in it.” Rayareddy told reporters, “I am a senior Lingayat leader and have been elected MLA many times. I have all the eligibility to become chief minister. If the Lingayat community gets an opportunity, let them give me a chance.”
Asked whether he is on Siddaramaiah’s side, Rayareddy, one of the influential leaders from the Kalyana-Karnataka region, said Siddaramaih has been a good chief minister and has carried out many developmental works. “I am in favour of Siddaramaiah completing the full five-year term,” he added. “Siddaramaiah will be chief minister for another three-and-a-half years. He should not resign even if the court allows an investigation (into the MUDA site allotment issue). I am sure he will continue to be chief minister for the full term. The State will benefit from him. I bat for his continuation as CM,” he asserted. If there is a change in leadership, he said, Siddaramaiah himself will put forth a name, be it from the Vokkaliga or Lingyat community, as there are a lot of experienced and able leaders in the party to ascend to the chief minister’s chair.