Shivakumar, through the post, sought to sustain the pressure on the Congress leadership to get Siddaramaiah to pass on the mantle to him without much delay or fuss in keeping with the “word” 5-6 Congress leaders are privy to. The leadership apparently had promised him the CM’s position after the Congress regime completes half its term in Karnataka.
“The biggest force in the world was to keep one’s word. Be it a judge, president or anyone else including myself, everyone has to walk the talk. Word power is world power,” read Shivakumar’s post.
While the CM went about attending his routine work including chairing a Cabinet meeting, Shivakumar stayed firm, quietly stepping up pressure to resolve the crisis that has exacerbated soon after the government completed 30 months, last week.
AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge said in Bengaluru that he would call a meeting with Rahul Gandhi, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, besides others, in New Delhi and end the confusion. Shivakumar said the CM and he would go to Delhi, if asked by the high command. He, however, added that he had not been called yet.
`Father will complete term’
In Mysuru, CM’s son Yathindra Siddaramaiah said there were no grounds for Siddaramaiah to step aside as he faces no allegations. There was no deal on transfer of power, according to his information, he said, adding that he was confident his father would complete his five-year term.KN Rajanna, a senior ST MLA loyal to Siddaramaiah, suggested that the party must make Home Minister G Parameshwara as CM if it were to decide to go for a change.The Vokkaligara Sangha, an organization of Vokkaligas, warned the Congress of consequences in the forthcoming polls if Shivakumar is not elevated to the CM’s post. The threat from the new office-bearers of the influential body comes a day after heads of influential Vokkaliga religious mutts threw their weight behind Shivakumar. Nirmalanandanatha Swamy of AdiChunchanagiri mutt publicly backed Shivakumar’s claim.
Sangha president L Srinivas said the community backed the Congress in 2023 as Shivakumar stood a strong chance to become CM. If the party cheats him now, the community voters will teach the Congress a big lesson, he said.
Vokkaligas are the second largest community in Karnataka after Lingayats. In the run up to the assembly polls, Shivakumar had drawn parallel to the circumstances in 1999. SM Krishna, as the KPCC president from the Vokkaliga community back then, led the Congress to victory and became the CM. He was in a similar situation now, he said appealing to the community voters to back the party and help him become the CM.
The Dy CM had, on Tuesday, confirmed news of a deal between him and the Congress leadership before he gave up his claim for the CM’s post.