<p>Vijayapura: Amid the ongoing “tussle for power” between Chief Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/siddaramaiah">Siddaramaiah</a> and Deputy Chief Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/d-k-shivakumar">D K Shivakumar</a>, Agriculture Marketing and Sugar Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/shivanand-patil">Shivanand Patil</a> has said that AICC president <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/mallikarjun-kharge">Mallikarjun Kharge</a> is the most deserving candidate for the Chief Minister’s post.</p><p>Speaking to reporters in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/vijayapura">Vijayapura</a> on Tuesday, Patil said, “I regret not voting for him in the past. He is the most valuable and eligible leader in the grand-old-party.”</p><p>Calling the internal competition for power a “purely intra-party matter,” Patil remarked that it is natural for many leaders to aspire to become chief minister. </p><p>“Everybody wants to be CM, but only one person can hold the post. If there were ten such posts, many senior ministers would have already become chief minister,” he quipped.</p>.No one has spoken on power sharing, says D K Shivakumar; terms Siddaramaiah's words sacrosanct .<p>He added that sincere service to the party should be rewarded. </p><p>“Some may get a full five-year term, while others must be content with two-and-a-half years,” he said.</p><p>Patil dismissed speculation over meetings involving senior leaders. “There is nothing wrong if the Chief Minister or Deputy Chief Minister meets Kharge or holds a closed-door discussion. Ministers often visit Delhi for departmental work. Linking every visit to lobbying for CM’s post or a ministerial berth is unnecessary,” he clarified.</p><p>On a possible cabinet reshuffle, Patil said that any decision regarding a rejig rests solely with the Chief Minister.</p>
<p>Vijayapura: Amid the ongoing “tussle for power” between Chief Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/siddaramaiah">Siddaramaiah</a> and Deputy Chief Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/d-k-shivakumar">D K Shivakumar</a>, Agriculture Marketing and Sugar Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/shivanand-patil">Shivanand Patil</a> has said that AICC president <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/mallikarjun-kharge">Mallikarjun Kharge</a> is the most deserving candidate for the Chief Minister’s post.</p><p>Speaking to reporters in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/vijayapura">Vijayapura</a> on Tuesday, Patil said, “I regret not voting for him in the past. He is the most valuable and eligible leader in the grand-old-party.”</p><p>Calling the internal competition for power a “purely intra-party matter,” Patil remarked that it is natural for many leaders to aspire to become chief minister. </p><p>“Everybody wants to be CM, but only one person can hold the post. If there were ten such posts, many senior ministers would have already become chief minister,” he quipped.</p>.No one has spoken on power sharing, says D K Shivakumar; terms Siddaramaiah's words sacrosanct .<p>He added that sincere service to the party should be rewarded. </p><p>“Some may get a full five-year term, while others must be content with two-and-a-half years,” he said.</p><p>Patil dismissed speculation over meetings involving senior leaders. “There is nothing wrong if the Chief Minister or Deputy Chief Minister meets Kharge or holds a closed-door discussion. Ministers often visit Delhi for departmental work. Linking every visit to lobbying for CM’s post or a ministerial berth is unnecessary,” he clarified.</p><p>On a possible cabinet reshuffle, Patil said that any decision regarding a rejig rests solely with the Chief Minister.</p>