Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara hits back at Ashoka for ‘predicting’ CM’s term, says Siddaramaiah will last 5 years

Bengaluru: Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara said on Sunday that he strongly believed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would complete his five-year term.

Parameshwara was reacting to a claim made by Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka that Siddaramaiah would be replaced by Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar by November 15 or 16 this year.  

He told reporters that he did not know where this news (of CM’s tenure) was originating from. “When the party asked legislators to elect the Congress legislature Party leader after the elections, Siddarmaiah was elected. At that time, none of the leaders or the high command spoke about the CM’s tenure. So, I personally like to believe that he will remain CM for the full term,” he said.  

He said the high command had not spoken about any condition or fixed any term for the CM when Siddaramaiah was elected. “If at all any change to the tenure or position is to be made, only the party high command decides on that. Till then, I would like to believe that Siddaramiah will be CM for the rest of the tenure,” the minister said.

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge told reporters separately that there was no confusion over the CM’s term.  

“AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have clarified on this matter. So, the media should not ask us this question,” he said.

On Ashoka’s remark, Priyank and Parameshwara said, “When and from whom did he learn astrology? First let him speak about his party’s affairs,” they said.

Priyank asked Ashoka to predict the tenure of BJP state president B Y Vijayendra, instead of the CM’s term. “Congress is capable of resolving its problems,” he said.