Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Aug 31: Even before controversy kicked up by former chief minister (CM), Siddaramaiah's statement about his aspiration to become chief minister again died down, CM, Kumaraswamy, added fuel to it. In an enthusiasm to justify what Siddaramaiah said, he commented that some want senior minister, R V Deshpande, to become chief minister and that there is no need to give such issues new dimensions by drawing one's own inferences.

The CM, who met Congress president, Rahul Gandhi, at New Delhi on Thursday, arrived directly at Karnataka Bhavan and addressed a press conference. Revenue minister, R V Deshpande, who reached New Delhi, directly came there from the airport and joined the CM. When media persons sought his reaction to Siddaramaiah's statement about his desire to become CM again, Kumaraswamy made the above comment.

H D Kumaraswamy and Dinesh Gundu Rao

In response, Deshpande said that he has eligibility to become CM but at the same time, he is not peeved at not getting that opportunity.

Speaking at a press meet held at Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee office on Thursday, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, Dinesh Gundu Rao, said that there is no question of getting a Congress chief minister for the next five years. He said that not only Deshpande, even Mallikarjun Kharge,, Shivakumar, or Dr G Parameshwar can become the CM.

Reacting to the CM's comment about Deshpande, he said he is not aware of what the CM actually meant. He said that in the past too, stories have been concocted based on rumours attributed to statements made by Siddaramaiah and Deshpande and hence discussions on who will be the next CM are irrelevant.

He clarified that his party has extended unconditional support to JD(S) when Kumaraswamy was made the chief minister and hence there is no question of considering the issue of any other chief minister for the present.