Bengaluru: The power struggle within the ruling Congress in Karnataka has been going on for the last several months. Meanwhile, a Mahant belonging to the Vokkaliga community publicly urged Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to step down and hand over power to the state’s Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. This appeal of the Mahant has come at a time when the demand for making 3 more Deputy Chief Ministers in the Siddaramaiah cabinet is growing. It is being demanded that one Deputy Chief Minister each should be made from Veerashaiva-Lingayat, Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe and Minority communities.
‘Our DK Shivakumar has not yet become the Chief Minister’
Vishwa Vokkaliga Mahasamastan Math’s Mahant Kumar Chandrashekharnath Swamiji raised his voice in favour of Shivakumar in the presence of CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister at an event organized on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Bengaluru’s founder Kempegowda. Karnataka Congress President and State Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar belongs to the Vokkaliga community. This community is considered to have considerable influence in the southern part of Karnataka. Chandrashekharnath Swamiji said, ‘Everyone in the state has become the Chief Minister and everyone has enjoyed the pleasures of power, but our DK Shivakumar has not yet become the Chief Minister, so the request is that Siddaramaiah should hand over power to him and bless him.’
‘This is possible only if Siddaramaiah makes up his mind, otherwise not’
Addressing the gathering, Mahant said, ‘It is possible only if Siddaramaiah makes up his mind, otherwise not, so with ‘namaskar’ I request Siddaramaiah to make Shivakumar the Chief Minister.’ On being asked about Mahant’s appeal, Siddaramaiah later said, ‘There is a high command in Congress and whatever the high command says, we will follow it.’ Reacting to a similar question, Deputy CM Shivakumar said, ‘Things have been said. Both of us (he and Siddaramaiah) are going to New Delhi to discuss with the state MPs regarding the state’s projects (pending approval from the Centre).’ (Language)
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