D K Shivakumar mocks demand for 3 more Deputy Chief Ministers in Karnataka

Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar on Thursday mocked demand from some Ministers to create three more posts of Deputy Chief Minister, saying they will get no "solution" by discussing it before the media.

Some of the Ministers have been pitching for leaders from Veerashaiva-Lingayat, SC/ST and minority communities to be given the post of Deputy Chief Minister.

Currently, Shivakumar, a member of the Vokkaliga community, is only the Deputy Chief Minister in the Siddaramaiah-led government.

"Let those speaking to papers (newspaper or media) go and speak to high command, get a solution and come. Let them go and get whatever solution they want. There is no need to discuss before the media. I will also not discuss anything before the media," Shivakumar said, making no secret of his displeasure. "Let anyone go and get whatever solution they want, who will say don't? Neither newspapers nor TV channels will give a solution for this, you (media) only give publicity, that's all," he told reporters here.

To a question regarding demand from some quarters in the party about the need to change the KPCC (state Congress) President -- the post he currently holds, Shivakumar said, "very happy, they should not waste time, they should go and find a solution for it....let them go and find solution from wherever they want, we don't have any objection."

According to sources, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has apparently urged ministers not to issue statements seeking additional Deputy Chief Minister posts in public. Siddaramaiah is said to have spoken to Minister K N Rajanna, who is in the forefront with such a demand, over the phone and cautioned him against making any more public statements on the issue. He opined that public statements on this would negatively impact the government and the party.

A section within the Congress is of the opinion that the statement by the Ministers seeking three more Deputy CMs, was part of a plan by Siddaramaiah’s camp to keep Shivakumar in check, amid talks he might seek the CM post after two-and-half years of this government’s tenure, and to counter his influence both in the government and party. Co-operation Minister Rajanna, Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi and a couple of others -- all considered to be close to Siddaramaiah -- earlier this week once again raised the pitch for three more Deputy CMs.

The Congress had decided that Shivakumar will be “the only” Deputy Chief Minister amid stiff competition between him and Siddaramaiah for the Chief Minister’s post after the Assembly election results in May last year, according to party sources.

It was also said to be a "commitment" made by the Congress leadership to Shivakumar while convincing him to give up his claim for the CM post and to take up the role of Deputy Chief Minister, the sources said.

Meanwhile, leaders in Shivakumar's camp too seem to have started coming out openly in support of their leader. Channagiri Congress MLA Basavaraju V Shivaganga on Wednesday urged the party to make Shivakumar the Chief Minister.

Rajanna, also hinting about the need to change state party President, had said the party after Assembly polls had announced three things -- Siddaramaiah will be Chief Minister, Shivakumar will be lone DCM, and that he (Shivakumar) will continue as party President till the Parliament election. "I will remind the party about the third point."