DK Suresh, the Congress MP from Bangalore Rural and the brother of Karnataka stalwart DK Shivakumar, has said that he is not pleased with Shivakumar’s appointment as Karnataka’s deputy chief minister. This follows the conclusion of the five-day stalemate over the issue as the Congress high command picked Siddaramaiah as the Karnataka chief minister and Shivakumar as the deputy chief minister. Congress returned to power in Karnataka after winning 135 out of 224 seats in the just-concluded elections.
“I am not fully happy but in the interest of Karnataka, we wanted to fulfill our commitment…That is why DK Shivakumar had to accept. In the future we will see, there is a long way to go. I wish it (CM post for DK Shivakumar) but it didn’t happen, we will wait and see,” he said.
#WATCH | I am not fully happy but in the interest of Karnataka we wanted to fulfil our commitment…That is why DK Shivakumar had to accept. In future we will see, there is a long way to go. …I wish it (CM post for DK Shivakumar) but it didn't happen, we will wait and see:… pic.twitter.com/DGbiSIUeJk
— ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2023
According to the reports, DK Shivakumar would lead the state for the second half of the 5-year rule of Congress while Siddaramaiah will serve as chief minister for the first half.
Congress leader Randeep Surjewala, the Karnataka representative for the All India Congress Committee (AICC), said that Karnataka will have a new government within the next 48 to 72 hours. “Whenever Congress makes a decision we will inform you. In the next 48-72 hours, we will have a new cabinet in Karnataka,” he said while speaking to the reporters on May 18.
“Do not resort to any speculation, whenever a decision is taken by the Congress president, we will be happy to inform you. I am only here to quash multiple rumours and hearsay that are being played on multiple news channels. Please don’t believe in it,” Surjewala said.
His remarks came as the party’s upper echelons had back-to-back meetings in the nation’s capital about the unveiling of the Karnataka chief minister candidates, Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah. Sidddaramaiah is apparently set to be named the next Karnataka CM.
DK Shivakumar has not yet accepted the six other ministries that the Congress leadership and Rahul Gandhi had offered him along with the positions of deputy chief minister and PCC. Ahead of the announcement about the Karnataka chief minister, DK Shivakaumar visited the home of the party’s president Mallikarjun Kharge after meeting the party leader Rahul Gandhi.
