Amid speculation over the change of leadership and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s visit to Delhi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Mangaluru on Monday reiterated that the Congress high command will take a call on whether or not to continue him as the Chief Minister.
Referring to various Ministers making statements over the change of the Chief Minister, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that that in a democracy, everyone has the right to contest for the post of Chief Minister. “The contest can not be avoided. But the high command will take the final decision.”
When his reaction was sought to Mr. Siddaramaiah’s statement on continuing as the Chief Minister, Mr. Shivakumar remarked: “What is there to add when the Chief Minister himself has said it. We will listen to whatever he says.”
The Chief Minister’s statement came on a day when Mr. Shivakumar was in Delhi to meet the Congress Central leaders. Mr. Shivakumar, on his return to Bengaluru- refused to elaborate on the Delhi visit, but acknowledged that he met Ambika Soni, a confidante of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, to offer his condolences following the death of Ms. Soni’s husband recently.
Sources close to him indicated that he riled at the supporters of the Chief Minister, including his son Yathindra Siddaramaiah, going public about the leadership, while he was in Delhi to brief the leaders.
