In Short
- Siddaramaiah says talk of Congress asking him to step down is incorrect
- Admits DK Shivakumar is an aspirant but denies any leadership change
- Says he will remain Chief Minister for five years and lead party in 2028 polls
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has firmly denied speculation over a leadership change in the state, asserting that he will remain in the post for the full five-year term. In an exclusive statement to India Today TV, Siddaramaiah said there was no truth to reports that the Congress high command had asked him to step down or make way for Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.
“I will be Chief Minister for five years,” he said. “I’ve already made it very clear. I made this statement on July 2 also. Mr DK Shivakumar was also there on that day.” Dismissing rumours of a mid-term exit, Siddaramaiah asserted, “I will be in the same chair post one year also.”
On his deputy DK Shivakumar’s political aspirations, Siddaramaiah was candid. He said, “DK Shivakumar is also an aspirant. There is nothing wrong with that. DK Shivakumar has himself said this, that ‘kursi abhi khali nahi hai’.”
Rejecting claims of internal instructions or timelines decided by the high command for leadership rotation, Siddaramaiah said, “Two and a half years was never decided. It is not correct. What the high command told us is that whatever decision they take, we have to follow it. Mallikarjun Kharge has already said that ours is a high command party. Whatever they say, we have to follow. I will, and DK Shivakumar also will.”
He went on to dismiss any suggestion that Congress leaders like Randeep Surjewala had raised questions about leadership in the state. “As far as leadership is concerned, Surjewala has not asked any question,” Siddaramaiah said. “There are always some MLAs supporting DK Shivakumar, but not many.”
The Chief Minister also used the opportunity to address the state’s financial condition. “There is no dearth of money. I am making it very clear. We have sufficient money,” he said. “One or two cases may be there, but that does not mean the government is bankrupt.”
