A Congress MLA, HA Iqbal Hussain, on Saturday (December 13) claimed that Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar will take over as Karnataka Chief Minister on January 6, replacing the incumbent Siddaramaiah. Speaking to reporters, the Ramanagara MLA said the chief minister's post, currently held by Siddaramaiah, should be handed over to Shivakumar, asserting that he deserves an opportunity to lead the state, according to a PTI report.
99% chance Shivakumar will become CM: Congress MLA
"There is a 99 per cent chance that he becomes chief minister on January 6," Hussain, who is a staunch supporter of Shivakumar, said.
When asked what significance the date has, he said, "I don't know. It's just a random number. Everybody is saying this. It can either be January 6 or 9. These are the two dates."
Hussain has been demanding that Shivakumar should be made the chief minister.
Leadership change in Karnataka
Speculation over leadership change intensified last month after the Congress government crossed the halfway mark of its term. This coincided with renewed chatter about an alleged 2023 “power-sharing agreement,” under which Shivakumar was expected by some party workers to take over as Chief Minister for the latter half of the five-year term.
Over the past few weeks, several of Shivakumar's supporters have publicly demanded that he be elevated to the top post. The growing pressure has prompted multiple strategic meetings between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, even as both leaders insist the government remains stable.
The BJP has seized upon the internal rift, alleging that Karnataka’s administration has become ineffective due to the ongoing tussle between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.
Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra claimed that "seven to eight Congress legislators and ministers" were vying for the Chief Minister's post, describing the competition as intensifying by the day. He added that while the people had given the Congress a decisive mandate, the BJP would continue to function as a strong opposition with no intention of attempting to form the government.
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