Siddaramaiah junks leadership change buzz: 'Will remain CM for 5 years'

Amid buzz around leadership change in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday asserted that he will remain at the top post for the full term.

 

"Yes, I will be. Why do you have the doubt?" he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

 

Siddaramaiah's comment comes amid some Karnataka Congress leaders demanding leadership change in the state, with many of them backing his deputy DK Shivakumar for the top post.

 

Among them is Congress MLA Iqbal Hussain, who on Tuesday claimed that over 100 MLAs are expecting a change in leadership, reported Moneycontrol.

 

It also comes around the time when the Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka, Randeep Surjewala, was sent to the state to have meetings with party legislators. However, Surjewala on Tuesday said that any news about leadership change is only a "figment of imagination".

 

What option do I have, asks Shivakumar

 

Amid these speculations, Shivakumar on Wednesday said that he will stand by Siddaramaiah and support him.

 

"What option do I have? I have to stand by him and support him. I don’t have any objection to it. Whatever the party high command tells and whatever they decide, it will be fulfilled...I don’t want to discuss anything now. Lakhs of workers are supporting this party," he said, as quoted by ANI.

 

Shivakumar also said there have been no discussions on leadership change and stressed on strengthening the government of Siddaramaiah.

 

On being asked about the leadership change claims made by the BJP and JD(S) leaders, Shivakumar asked: "Are they our high command? R Ashoka (Leader of Opposition in the Assembly) is a BJP man. B Y Vijayendra (state BJP President) is a BJP man. Chalavadi Narayanaswamy (Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council) is a BJP man. Will you write if they say such things? Should you verify or not?"