Bengaluru: Amidst thick peculation over leadership change or cabinet reshuffle in Karnataka after elections to Bihar Assembly, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that he would abide by the party decision over the issue.
Participating in a conclave organised by a television channel here on Monday, Siddaramaiah said that the leadership issue depended on the support in the legislature party and the decision of the party high command. However, he would abide by the high command decision.
For the last few days, the leadership change has come to fore, as Siddaramaiah has completed two and a half years of the term as the Chief Minister. Ever since the government was formed, speculation was that the Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar had been promised CM post after two and a half years.
As the day approached, Siddaramaiah and his supporters are unwilling to part with the power. Even if there is a leadership change, Siddaramaiah want it to be the candidate if his choice.
A number of proposals were floated through media that the next CM will be either from the backward class community or a Dalit CM. This has brought the names of leaders like Dr G Parameshwar, Dr H C Mahadevappa, K H Muniyappa from Dalit community to fore and Sathish Jarkiholi from backward class to the CM candidate race.
Three days ago, Siddaramaiah's son Dr Yathindra publicly said that Sathish Jarkiholi would be succeeding Siddaramaiah, but retracted immediately and said that he was referring to backward class people leadership.
Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah said that there would be cabinet reshuffle after Bihar elections. This activated the ministerial aspirants, who started getting in touch with the party central leaders. The feeling is that if Siddaramaiah is allowed to reshuffle the cabinet, chances of Shivakumar becoming CM is minimum.
Meanwhile, D K Shivakumar refused to react and said that he would not comment on any of these issues.
''In Congress, high command is supreme. I will not comment and I will talk to the people who matters,'' he added.
