Karnataka CM Row: DK Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah Dismiss Speculation On Leadership Change

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday said that the answer, that Siddaramaiah will remain CM, has alerady been given and “it is not good to speak again and again”.Shivakumar’s remarks came amid the speculation over him replacing Siddaramaiah for the Karnataka CM post.

“The answer has already been given (by CM Siddaramaiah and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Surjewala). When an answer has been provided, it’s not good to speak again and again, and asking the same thing again and again is also not right. You don’t want to make any comment now, and it’s unnecessary.” Shivakumar said.

On MLAs’ demand that he should replace Siddaramaiah as CM, Shivakumar said, “There will be aspirational statements by some, it could be you as well, but it’s unnecessary to make a comment now.”

Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah again dismissed speculation about a change in the state’s leadership, asserting that there has been no discussion with the Congress high command about the change.

“How many times do I tell you, it (speculations around Karnataka CM post) was not discussed at all? This issue was not discussed at all with the high command,” Siddaramaiah said on Friday.

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Siddramaiah, who is in Delhi, met with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge along with other senior party leaders on Thursday, fanning the speculation over a possible CM change in Karnataka.

Taking to X, Siddaramaiah informed about Congress leaders meeting with Kharge, in which he mentioned that “several important issues” were discussed.

“In Delhi today, AICC leaders and senior state leaders met Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence and held discussions on several important issues. Earlier, Karnataka Congress in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala held one-to-one meetings with Congress MLAs, which sparked speculation over the party handing the leadership to DK Shivakumar. 

However, Siddaramaiah has clarified to reporters that Surjewala clearly stated that the purpose of meeting the MLAs in the state is not the issue of change of Chief Ministers.

“The state Congress in charge has dismissed the question of a change in the Chief Minister, saying that there is no room for speculation on this issue. These speculations are created by the media, and there has been no discussion on the change of the Chief Minister in the Congress circle.” CM said.

(With ANI Inputs)

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