When DK Shivakumar said he’d love to work under ‘CM’ Mallikarjun Kharge
A month before the Karnataka election, state Congress president DK Shivakumar in a press meet said he would love to work under Mallikarjun Kharge if Kharge became the chief minister.
As the CM decision still remains pending even after several meetings on Tuesday, DK Shivakumar’s trust in Mallikarjun Kharge as the CM rather than Siddaramaiah is again in discussion as DK Shivakumar is not leaving the race against Siddaramaiah.
DK Shivakumar and Mallikarjun Kharge held a meeting on Tuesday evening for 30 minutes before Kharge met Siddaramaiah who is believed to be ahead in the race to become the CM, with the support of more MLAs. The decision was deferred to Wednesday, a day before the likely swearing-in. The announcement will be made by Mallikarjun Kharge in Bengaluru, not in New Delhi.
Before meeting DK Shivakumar, Mallikarjun Kharge discussed the issue with Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala. Reports claimed that Rahul Gandhi and KC Venugopal are in favour of Siddaramaiah while Surjewala is neutral.
DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah did not comment on what transpired in their meetings. Reports claimed that DK Shivakumar told Kharge that Siddaramaiah’s previous tenure from 2013 to 2018 was a misrule and this time he wants to be the chief minister. If he’s not made the CM, he would like to continue as an MLA.
What DK Shivakumar said about Kharge earlier
In April, when DK Shivakumar was asked about Mallikarjun Kharge who was the top contender for the CM post in 2013 but lost to Siddaramaiah, DK said, “He is my leader and AICC chief. I love to work under him (Kharge). For our state and our country, he is an asset, and I will abide by the decision of the party. He is senior to me by 20 years. I came (to the Assembly) in 1985 and Kharge in 1972. Kharge had resigned as Congress Legislature Party leader at midnight (to switch to national politics on the party high command’s instruction to make way for Siddaramaiah to take over as CLP leader in June 2009). He rose through the party ranks to become AICC president, which is not possible in any other party. It is possible only in Congress. The state unit received the much-needed boost after Kharge became AICC president. So, I will not go against his wishes.”