JOIN USThe growing clamour for making coordination committee chairman Siddaramaiah chief minister again has caused upheavals in the JD(S)-Congress coalition government.
Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday is learnt to have registered a strong protest with the coalition partner Congress on the issue, even as one more Cabinet minister openly backed Siddaramaiah for the CM’s post. Skill Development Minister P T Parameshwara Naik said Siddaramaiah should become chief minister in the interest of the state.
Naik is the second Cabinet Minister to join the chorus. Home Minister M B Patil had on Tuesday said he wants Siddaramaiah back as chief minister. Hours after Naik’s statement in Ballari, Kumaraswamy met state Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao and Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara at his official residence and expressed his anguish at the development.
“Why are senior Congress leaders silent when some ministers are openly talking about a new CM? Why is Siddaramaiah not directing his supporters to stop making such statements?” Kumaraswamy was quoted by sources as asking Gundu Rao. The Chief Minister is learnt to have told Gundu Rao that the Congress should take immediate measures to silence his party leaders who are creating confusion.
Speaking to reporters after meeting the Chief Minister, Gundu Rao clarified that Kumaraswamy will remain the Chief Minister for the full five-year term. This decision was taken by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda. Hence the question of a new CM does not arise. It is irrelevant,” he stated, adding that he will direct his party leaders not to issue such statements.
The growing demand for making Siddaramaiah chief minister again has not only caused embarrassment to the coalition partners but has triggered speculation in political circles on the possibility of change of guard after May 23. Siddaramaiah had recently expressed his desire to become chief minister again. He had also assured that he would increase the quantum of rice to BPL families under the PDS to 10 kg per family if he becomes chief minister.