
BENGALURU: Even as a gag order by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge to party leaders, especially ministers, not to air their views in public over the change of guard in the party and the government, a debate has started within Congress as to who will choose the next chief minister, whether it is the party high command or MLAs. The debate has apparently become relevant as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is completing the two-and-a-half years of his tenure, the half-way mark.
While Siddaramaiah’s supporters claimed that the opinion of MLAs is more important, DCM DK Shivakumar’s sympathisers asserted that the high command’s decision is the final word. Meanwhile, 15 MLAs, who are supporters of PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi and had postponed their trip to Dubai sometime back, are once again planning to go. This might be a strategy to send out a message to the high command to consider Satish for the KPCC president post, a source said.
The debate on who will pick the CM started after Shivakumar supporter and Ramanagara MLA Iqbal Husain reportedly said that the high command decides the next CM. Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna, who is a follower of Siddaramaiah, hit back, saying the party MLAs will decide on the CM’s post.
Replying to them, Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara here on Wednesday said “usually”, the MLAs choose the Legislature Party leader and high command eventually finalises after looking into various factors. He, however, felt that the gag order also applies to the MLAs and soon, the high command will likely take a decision.
“The instruction of the party high command to not issue statements applies to both ministers and MLAs. It seems the high command will give instructions to the latter also. The high command will first take the opinion of MLAs and go by the majority opinion. They examine the other factors and announce the CM,” he stated.