Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Credit: X/@siddaramaiah
Mangaluru/Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said he would complete a full five-year tenure only if the Congress high command allowed him to, differing from his earlier assertions that he would remain at the helm.
In another significant message, Siddaramaiah did not rule out his candidature in 2028 by implying that the party needed him.
“If the high command decides,” Siddaramaiah said in Mangaluru when asked if he would complete the full term.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar maintained a reconciliatory stance upon returning from the national capital on Monday evening. Reacting to Siddaramaiah’s statement, he said: “Once the CM has spoken, that’s that. We will do whatever he says.” Earlier in the day, at a media event, Siddaramaiah said he was under pressure from “friends and well-wishers” to contest the 2028 Assembly election.
“I had announced that I won’t contest in 2028. But all my friends and well-wishers want me to contest in 2028. They say that the party will benefit. They say my candidature would help the party return to power. I have not seriously decided about this,” Siddaramaiah said.
Siddaramaiah’s statement is also being seen as damage control following his son Dr Yathindra’s statement that his father was in his last political innings, which ran the risk of driving lawmakers away from the incumbent CM.
Siddaramaiah is also favouring a reshuffle of his Cabinet after November 20, when the Congress completes two and a half years in office. “The high command has asked me to reshuffle the Cabinet 3-4 months back. However, I wanted to wait until the government reached the halfway mark. Now, if the high command permits, I will reshuffle the Cabinet,” Siddaramaiah said.
Siddaramaiah is slated to visit Delhi for talks with the party’s top brass next month.
According to sources, a new formula may be proposed to the high command: appointment of 1-2 more deputy chief ministers and that a Lingayat should replace Shivakumar as the Karnataka Congress president. Agriculture Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy said the high command would decide by November 30 on Cabinet reshuffle.