Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday rejected "two-and-a-half-year" power-sharing agreement between him and his deputy DK Shivakumar, asserting that he will continue to helm the state. On the last day of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly session in Belagavi, Siddaramaiah told Opposition leaders that such an arrangement was never decided and he will continue to serve as Karnataka CM until the party high command takes any other decision in this regard.
"First, the people must bless us. Then the legislators elect the leader in the Legislative Party meeting, and after that, the high command decides. That is all I have said. Even now, I am the Chief Minister, and I will remain the Chief Minister until the high command decides otherwise," he said.
On Karnataka Assembly LoP R Ashoka’s question over the two-and-a-half-year agreement, Siddaramaiah said, “I never said anything about two and a half years. There is no such agreement as two and half years.”
Karnataka leadership tussle
Notably, Congress Party is witnessing a tug of war for power between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the last few months. Several Congress MLAs reached Delhi seeking a change in leadership as the government completed half tenure.
The Congress top brass, however, asked the two leaders to discuss the issue within themselves.
To dissolve contention over the issue Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar met for breakfast on two different occasions. Both leaders said they will comply with the decision taken by the party high command. They also held a joint press conference to demonstrate party unity.
BJP’s reaction over power tussle
Reacting over the leadership row, the BJP earlier said a no-confidence would be moved from their side in the state legislative assembly, asserting that state's interests were being overlooked in the tussle between the two leaders.
"CM and Deputy CM both are in a very egoistic attitude. They are not ready to budge an inch. Therefore, the high command is compelled to think of another alternative. So in this context, a dark horse might emerge in the state," BJP leader and former Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai said.
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