Karnataka Congress President, DK Shivakumar, made a strong pitch for the chief minister’s post, ahead of the decision by the party’s high command. As he left for New Delhi, where the decision will be taken between him and another top contender, Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar said he is a “single-man majority” and does not want to comment on the numbers he has as his support. He added that he does not want to disclose what happened in the last five years and that he did not lose heart when the coalition government collapsed, and many MLAs left.
The Congress won Karnataka with a sweeping majority, and now the race is for the chief minister’s post. Both Siddaramaiah, a veteran Congress leader, and former chief minister, and DK Shivakumar, a charismatic leader with mass appeal, are claiming the top job. However, they are projecting a picture of unity between them.
DK Shivakumar’s Pitch for Chief Minister’s Post
“One man with courage makes a majority,” Shivakumar said in an apparent reply to Siddaramaiah’s claim of having more MLA support. He added that under his leadership, they have 135 MLAs, and all of them, in one voice, said that the matter would be left to the party high command. Shivakumar said he does not have any personal numbers of MLAs backing him for the CM post, and whatever he has is the Congress number. He assured Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge that his aim is to deliver Karnataka to the Congress party, which he has already done.
Siddaramaiah versus DK Shivakumar for the CM post was not unexpected, but the battle intensified after the MLAs did not elect anyone and left the crucial decision with the High Command. Ahead of the election, the Congress released videos of the two leaders exchanging their thoughts on the election.
Responding to questions on a Rajasthan-like situation repeating in Karnataka in the Siddaramaiah versus DK Shivakumar race, Shivakumar said that Mallikarjun Kharge has stakes in the state, and Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi trust the Congress leaders of the state. He also evaded questions on who would be the next chief minister, saying that the decision would be made by the party high command.
It is important to note that both DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah are claiming the top job, but they are projecting a picture of unity between them. Shivakumar’s statement of being a single-man majority can be seen as an attempt to assert his position and strengthen his claim to the chief minister’s post. However, it remains to be seen who the party high command will choose as the next chief minister of Karnataka.
The Congress party’s victory in the recent Karnataka Assembly elections has opened up a race for the chief minister’s post. Both Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar have staked their claims to the top job, with both leaders projecting a united front to the public.
Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar engage in a fierce battle for the chief minister’s post in Karnataka
While Siddaramaiah is a seasoned politician who has previously served as the chief minister of the state, DK Shivakumar is a charismatic leader with a strong mass appeal. Both leaders have been engaged in a fierce battle for the chief minister’s post, with Siddaramaiah claiming that he has the support of more MLAs, and DK Shivakumar insisting that he is a single-man majority.
The decision of who will be the next chief minister of Karnataka now rests with the Congress High Command, who will make the final decision based on inputs from the party leaders and MLAs. On Sunday, the MLAs decided to authorise Mallikarjun Kharge to name the chief minister, indicating that the final decision will be made by the party high command.
Speaking to the media before leaving for New Delhi, where the party High Command will take the final decision, DK Shivakumar said that he did not want to comment on the numbers he has as his support. He also said that he did not lose heart when the previous coalition government collapsed and many MLAs left.
Underlining his commitment to the Congress party and his role in delivering a victory for the party in the state, DK Shivakumar said that he had assured Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge that his aim was to deliver Karnataka to the Congress party, and he had done so.
The battle between Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar for the chief minister’s post has been closely watched by political observers, who see it as a reflection of the power struggle within the Congress party. While both leaders have projected a united front to the public, reports suggest that there are deep divisions within the party over the issue of the chief minister’s post.
The Congress party’s decision on who will be the next chief minister of Karnataka is likely to have a significant impact on the state’s political landscape. With the state heading for local body elections later this year, the Congress party will be hoping to consolidate its position by putting in place a strong and capable leader who can take the party forward.
As the race for the chief minister’s post in Karnataka heats up, all eyes are now on the Congress High Command, who will make the final decision on who will lead the state.
