Rumbling in Karnataka Congress over CM Siddaramaiah son's statement

Bengaluru: There was rumbling in the ruling Congress on Thursday following Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s son Yathindra’s statement that his father was in the fag end of his political career and that the Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi is a leader with similar progressive ideological thinking.

Amid talks of leadership change, Yathindra’s statement led to speculation on whether he was speaking about the successor to his father.

While Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is a strong contender for the post, preferred not to comment immediately, Jarkiholi said Yathindra has only expressed his personal view.

Jarkiholi, however, made it clear that he would lay claim to the top post in 2028 when the state goes for the Assembly election.

Addressing a gathering at Chikkodi in Belagavi district on Wednesday, Yathindra said, “He (Siddaramaiah) is at the fag end of his political life. At such a time, a leader is needed to guide and lead those who have progressive thinking, ideologically,” Yathindra said.

“It is difficult to have leaders who are committed to principles, but Jarkiholi is doing his job with commitment. He should continue to do so,” he added.

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When DK Shivakumar was asked for his comment on Yathindra’s statement, he said, “I don’t want to say anything now. I don’t want to be part of the media. I will discuss later at an appropriate time.”

Jarkiholi maintained that these things are decided by the party high command.

“He (Yathindra) has only expressed his personal view, and everyone is free to express their views. Finally, it is left to the party high command and party MLAs to decide. Well, there is a lot of time. Let’s wait and watch,” Jarkiholi told reporters on Thursday.

He said he will try to bring everyone together, but the final decision is left to the party leaders.

“I have already said that I will lay claim to the CM post in 2028, but the party has to take the final call. Everything cannot be decided now. Still, there are 30 months to go. We have to see the developments that take place then. It will depend on the party and the prevailing situation,” the minister clarified.

When asked whether he would assume the role of Congress state president, Jarkiholi said he has no clue about it.

State Information Technology and Biotechnology Minister Priyank Kharge too said that Jarkiholi is one among the leaders in Congress who is carrying forward the party ideology.

“There are many people in our party who are carrying forward our party ideology and Satish Jarkiholi himself has said he is one among them. He has been running a campaign against superstition and in favour of the Indian constitution. There is nothing wrong in it. What is wrong in that? He is principally committed to Congress,” the minister said.

Commenting on Jarkiholi’s assertion that he would lay claim to the CM post, Priyank Kharge, son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, said that “the party and the people will decide”.

On Shivakumar’s ‘excessive’ temple visits these days, Kharge said, Shivakumar has always been a devotee, but the media is only now focusing on him. “I have been seeing him visiting temples and monasteries for the past three decades,” the minister said.

Amid talks about CM change, Siddaramaiah has constantly reiterated that he will complete a full five-year term.

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister’s post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May 2023, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy CM.

There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a “rotational chief minister formula,” according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-a-half years, but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.

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