BELAGAVI: Stating that CM Siddaramaiah’s leadership will be immensely important for Congress to win the 2028 Assembly elections, PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi on Saturday said the chief minister should be in active politics in the state for another term (post-2028 polls).
Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, he said Congress needs Siddaramaiah under any circumstance. “He has been delivering effectively as chief minister. He should work for the party’s growth even after completing his term as CM. We all in the party need his leadership in the state to face upcoming challenges in politics. It has become inevitable for Congress to have him in the party until the alternative leadership emerges’’ he said.
Asked about his comments on the possible change of chief minister in the backdrop of a pact between Siddaramaiah and DCM DK Shivakumar, Jarkiholi said the media should ask the question to AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala. He said he is not aware of the party’s stand on the issue.
“I am not aware whether there was a power-sharing pact between any leaders and I also don’t have any idea whether Siddaramaiah himself would continue to be CM,” he added. On reports that Congress will replace Shivakumar as KPCC president, Jarkiholi said he was unaware of it and one has to wait and see whether there would be a change of guard in the state party unit. He said none of the Congress leaders are opposed to the party’s stand on any issues. The leaders are only demanding their rights, which can be seen as anti-party, he said.
“We are free to voice our opinions before the party top brass. We have already told this to the party leadership. Nobody in the party is opposed to any top leader. We are all united in the state Congress,’’ he clarified.