Chief Minister Siddaramaiah speaks in assembly.
Credit: DH Photo
Belagavi: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah claimed in the Assembly that the Congress high command was “in my favour” and asserted that no decision was made on him staying at the helm for only two-and-a-half years.
Siddaramaiah said this during a segue into politics while replying on the North Karnataka discussion on Friday.
“The BJP will never come to power in Karnataka. Congress will retain power in 2028 and 2033,” Siddaramaiah said.
Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka retorted that Siddaramaiah kept saying the same thing about BJP’s BS Yediyurappa. “But Yediyurappa became CM four times,” Ashoka said.
“You [BJP] didn’t allow Yediyurappa to complete a full five-year term,” Siddaramaiah said. In a taunt, Ashoka said the Congress high commmand had decided that Siddaramaiah will get only a half term.
“I was CM for a full five-year term once. I have become the CM for a second term. According to me, the high command is in my favour. But whatever the high command decides, we will follow,” he said.
When BJP members pressed him further, Siddaramaiah said no decision was taken that he would be the CM only for two-and-a-half years.
“It is not the BJP that says you will be CM for just 2.5 years. We are asking if your high command and MLAs want that for you,” BJP’s V Sunil Kumar said.
“I have been chosen (in the Congress Legislature Party meeting) for five years,” Siddaramaiah said.
Kumar said he wanted Siddaramaiah to remain CM and implement his assurances to North Karnataka. “Yes, I will be there,” Siddaramaiah said.
This signalled Siddaramaiah’s intention to stay on amid speculation that his deputy D K Shivakumar is waiting for his turn.
Also, these statements came on the last day of the Belagavi session of the legislature, after which both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar may be called for talks with the Congress’ top brass to discuss their leadership tussle.
Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah told the Assembly that he could not reply on the North Karnataka debate sooner as he was feeling physically frail.
“The way you are speaking, you are not frail physically or politically,” Kumar said.
To this, Siddaramaiah said: “I have some frailty physically. But there is no political weakness.”