Bengaluru, Sept 20 (IANS): Infighting in Karnataka's ruling Congress seems to have escalated with now Cooperation Minister K.N. Rajanna saying that if three posts of Deputy CM are not created, then the government will become "unstable".
Speaking to media on Wednesday, Rajanna stressed on the creation of three Deputy CM's posts in the state to win more seats in the Lok Sabha elections.
"It is wrong to interpret that CM Siddaramaiah is prompting me to talk on this matter. I have not met CM Siddaramaiah in the recent past. It is also wrong to say that Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar is going to lose prominence if three more DyCMs are made," he said.
"If Congress wins less seats in Parliamentary elections, the government is going to be unstable. On many occasions, the high command had considered the public opinion whenever there was a defeat in the Lok Sabha elections," he said.
"I have told the high command to create three DyCM posts to ensure a stable government and to win more Lok Sabha seats. This is not a statement with ill-intention and I am stating this in the interest of the party," the minister added.
He noted that during the tenure of the Janata Party government, six state governments were sacked.
"We have to understand this. I am with no one and I don’t have selfish goals," he maintained.
Rajanna asked why should CM Siddaramaiah take clarification from him and maintained that Shivakumar is the state party chief and can call him and question him.
"I have not met him as he is busy handling the Cauvery dispute," he said.
"I have proposed the creation of three DyCM posts. One should be from the oppressed classes and the other two should be selected from Lingayat and the minority communities," he said.
Clarifying that he does not belong to any camp in the state government, Rajanna claimed that he is speaking out with the view that in case of setbacks in Lok Sabha elections, instability will haunt the government.
"What’s wrong with asking for three DyCMs. I have proposed it to the high command in the interest of the party. They will do it or leave it," he said.
"Lok Sabha elections are important and I have proposed a strategy of victory. Caste plays a major role in the elections and if leaders representing major communities are made DyCMs, it is good for the party. I am ready to take any challenge and there is no question of going back on my words. There are instances where the state governments are dissolved after the Lok Sabha elections. This had happened during the times of former Karnataka CMs, late B.D. Jatti and Ramkrishna Hegde. What’s the guarantee that it won’t repeat this time? Against this backdrop, community wise leadership should be given," he contended.
Sources say that the Siddaramaiah camp is strategising to weaken the position of DyCM Shivakumar who had taken the challenge of winning more than 20 seats in Lok Sabha elections and stake claim for the post of CM in the state. Rajanna is a Siddaramaiah loyalist and powerful leader from backward community. He had challenged former PM H.D. Deve Gowda's family and ensured defeat of Deve Gowda from Tumakuru Lok Sabha seat in the previous Lok Sabha elections.