‘Let’s dissolve assembly, face elections’: Congress’ KN Rajanna on Karnataka CM row

TUMAKURU: Amid the power tussle in the ruling Congress, senior party MLA and former minister K N Rajanna said the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) should decide the chief minister, and hence the party should “dissolve the Assembly and face elections.

He said it was the CLP which had elected Siddaramaiah as the CM. “Let’s dissolve (the Assembly) and face the elections. Then let’s work together under the leadership of D K Shivakumar and come with a majority. Then let him serve as the CM for five years. Wasn’t it the Congress legislature party (CLP) that elected Siddaramaiah? Now the decision should be made by the CLP”, the Congress MLA told reporters on Wednesday.

However, Rajanna favoured Siddaramaiah and also threw in the name of state home minister G Parameshwara, suggesting him as the “second option” for the Chief Minister’s post.

“The high command said not to talk about leadership. That’s why I won’t talk about it. My personal wish is that Siddaramaiah should be the CM for five years. The AICC will clarify in the next couple of days. Otherwise, the second option is that Dr G Parameshwara should become the CM”, he said.

Tumakuru | On Karnataka CM row, Congress MLA KN Rajanna said, “Let’s dissolve (the Assembly) and face the elections. Then let’s work together under the leadership of DK Shivakumar and come with a majority. Then let him serve as the CM for 5 years. Wasn’t it the Congress… pic.twitter.com/ao6JvVwUN0

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Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been launching relentless attacks on the Congress, alleging that the party’s infighting is stalling development in Karnataka. Senior BJP leader and MLA Mahesh Tenginkai commented on the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Congress leadership in Karnataka, stating that the ruling party’s internal rift has begun to reflect in the governance of the state.

Tenginkai said the current situation within the Congress appears deeply fractured. “It is Congress’s internal matter, and we cannot comment. However, it seems there are nearly three groups within the Karnataka Congress now. Their internal politics will create major cracks in the coming days, which will severely impact the state’s politics,” he said.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah earlier said that the debate over the CM post is an “unnecessary debate”, attributing recent discussions within the party for being about a cabinet reshuffle. The Chief Minister clarified that the senior party leadership would make the final decisions regarding the reshuffle, as two of the total 34 ministerial posts in Karnataka are currently vacant and would be filled during the process.

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday reiterated his loyalty to the Congress and dismissed speculation over his resignation as Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president. Shivakumar has also sought a meeting with party leader Sonia Gandhi on November 29 to discuss the ongoing topics. (ANI)