Amid the ongoing power struggle in Karnataka, deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday dismissed speculation that he has formed a group of loyalists to pressurise the Congress central leadership, saying this is not in his blood.
“Making a group is not there in my blood. All 140 MLAs are my MLAs. The Chief Minister decided that he will reshuffle the government… So all of them are interested, they want to become ministers,” Shivakumar told reporters amid reports of his loyalist MLAs meeting Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge.
He clarified that the MLAs went to Delhi to meet the central leadership seeking ministerial berths for themselves ahead of the likely Cabinet reshuffle.
“It is quite natural they will go and meet the leaders in Delhi… Apart from that, what can I say? They have every right. I have not taken anyone,” he said.
Asserting that all 140 MLAs of the party are eligible to become ministers and even chief minister, Shivakumar said, “The Honorable Chief Minister is there, he said that he will complete five years. I wish him all the best.”
He further stated that the Congress leadership wanted to make a new state unit president, a post he has been holding since 2020, and 4-5 deputy CMs.
“All meetings have been going on for the last 2.5 years. This is nothing new. Let them have more meetings,” he said, noting that some MLAs are also going with the Chief Minister.
Meanwhile, CM Siddaramaiah has once again reiterated that he will complete his full five-year term.
Siddaramaiah said that DK Shivakumar and everyone else, including him, will have to listen to the party high command as the Cabinet reshuffle is done by them only.
“DK Shivakumar, I and everyone has to listen to what the high command says…I will present the next budget myself, I will continue all the way…,” he said, adding “I will meet Mallikarjun Kharge tomorrow.”