D K Shivakumar asks Congress leaders to stop projecting Karnataka CM faces

With the next election less than two years away, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar on Saturday issued a fresh diktat asking his party colleagues to stop projecting chief ministerial faces.

He was reacting to Chamarajpet legislator BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan repeatedly projecting Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah as the next chief minister, which has not gone down too well with Shivakumar.

Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are seen as contenders for the CM’s post if the Congress wins the 2023 assembly polls.

“The Congress will go to polls under a collective leadership. We have told everyone to stay within limits. Delhi leaders have said this and I’m also saying this now. Some people may express personal opinions, but all that won’t be allowed,” Shivakumar told reporters.

“Me, Siddaramaiah, Mallikarjun Kharge, G Parameshwara and others will have aspirations and expectations. But our duty isn’t becoming CM. Our duty is to bring the Congress to power,” Shivakumar said.

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Choosing between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the CM’s post is a contentious issue within the Congress with both leaders engaged in an apparent game of one-upmanship. Last month, the Karnataka Congress’ official Twitter handle tweeted that the Covid-19 pandemic would have been under control if Shivakumar was the CM. The tweet was deleted, but not before ticking off the Siddaramaiah camp.

Earlier in the day, Khan once again hailed Siddaramaiah as the next chief minister. “My heart refuses to call (Siddaramaiah) as former CM. For me, he’s the next CM,” Khan said at an event in Chamarajpet that Siddaramaiah attended. “I know ours is a high command party, but people of the state want Siddaramaiah as the CM again. The high command will have to accept the people’s decision.”

However, Shivakumar maintained that there was no confusion in his party. “I am the president of the Congress party here. For me, the party is more important than worshipping an individual,” he said.

Siddaramaiah was the CM between 2013 and 2018, making him the first in 40 years to finish the full term. Shivakumar, as president, is looking to lead the party and is banking on his 'loyal party worker' tag to help him occupy the top post.