Cong chief to rein in leaders weighing in for CM post: K'taka minister

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Wednesday said the Congress state President D K Shivakumar will respond to calls by some party leaders to rein in those weighing in for the Chief Minister post, in the event of leadership change in the state.

As Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's petition challenging the Governor's sanction for his prosecution in a site allotment case is being heard in the High Court, Congress leaders seem to be preparing for a race to become CM with several of them openly expressing their desire.

A group of Congress leaders on Tuesday wrote to Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi requesting him to warn party leaders including senior Ministers, who are weighing in for the Chief Minister's post, in the event of leadership change.

The signatories of the letter, including current and former lawmakers and some ex-Ministers, have also asked him to direct them not to issue damaging statements in future.

State Congress working president Manjunath Bhandary and MLC Dinesh Gooligowda on Monday wrote to AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, asking him to curb speculation over the Chief Minister's tenure.

"Some office-bearers and leaders of the party have written to the high command, and the state president D K Shivakumar will take necessary action," Parameshwara told reporters in response to a question.

Noting that repeated discussion on the post of Chief Minister is unnecessary at this point, he said: "Being in government we have to administer the state and fulfill the promises made to the people by implementing them."

"BJP is indulging in vendetta politics, they want to destabilise the government and want to ensure that the government's programmes don't reach the people, we will have to side step them and function," he added.

Asked as to why disciplinary action is not being taken against those in the party making staking claims for CM post, Parameshwara said the state president will look into it, on returning from the US trip.

On Shivakumar, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister, meeting Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and senior Congress leader meeting Rahul Gandhi in the US, he said he was not aware of it. "I have only seen photos on social media and felt happy..."

When pointed at speculations linking Shivakumar meeting Rahul Gandhi to alleged efforts towards ensuring Siddaramaiah steps down as CM, he said: "Shivakumar has gone with family to US, coincidentally Rahul Gandhi was in the same city and hotel, they might have exchanged greetings, other than that I don't know."

While Shivakumar is seen as a prime contender for the post in case of any change in leadership, names of Parameshwara and PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi too are doing rounds, especially following their recent meeting with party leadership in New Delhi.

A verbal duel of sorts had erupted between two senior Ministers -- M B Patil and Shivanand Patil -- about seniority as the yardstick to become the Chief Minister.

Senior Congress MLAs -- Administrative Reforms Commission Chairperson R V Deshpande and Basavaraj Rayareddy, who is Siddaramaiah's financial adviser -- too have expressed their wish to become the Chief Minister.