Mysuru, Oct 8 (IANS): Karnataka Minister and close associate of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Satish Jarkiholi, asserted on Tuesday that there is no question of leadership change in the state.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Minister Satish said, “Siddaramaiah is our Chief Minister. I will continue to work under him as a minister. There is no question of change of leadership in Karnataka. There is no discussion about it.”
“My supporters and fans shout slogans in my favour as I am the next CM. I have clarified many times about this. I don’t know about the Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and others,” he stated.
He further said that the high command should be asked to clarify whether CM Siddaramaiah will be at the helm for three or five years.
Speaking about his meeting with Minister for Social Welfare H.C. Mahadevappa, he maintained that they will discuss politics and Dussehra festivities.
Minister Satish, one of the mass leaders from north Karnataka, has been meeting the top leaders of the party following the filing of FIRs against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam.
Satish held meetings with other prominent and senior Dalit leaders such as Home Minister G. Parameshwara and Minister Mahadevappa. He had also batted for a Dalit CM in case of a change of guard in Karnataka earlier.
Last week, Satish Jarkiholi met AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi and held a closed-door meeting with him for 30 minutes regarding the turn of events in the state after the lodging of an FIR against CM Siddaramaiah by the Lokayukta and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Minister Satish Jarkiholi is a close associate of CM Siddaramaiah and opposes Dy CM D.K. Shivakumar. Jarkiholi’s meeting with AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge had sparked discussions of a shift of leadership in the state.
Sources said that Jarkiholi discussed with Kharge the chances of a Dalit leader becoming the CM in case Siddaramaiah is asked to resign from the post.
At present, Siddaramaiah is vehemently claiming that he will continue as CM and there is no question of his resignation.
Even as the high command and Congress leaders are reiterating that they are with Siddaramaiah. However, it is no longer a secret that lobbying has begun for the CM post in the Congress party.