If Cong high command decides, I will continue as CM: Siddaramaiah
Chikkaballapura (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said if the Congress high command decides that he should continue in the post he will do so.
The high command will ultimately decide on the leadership change, he said, adding that he and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar should accept it.
The power tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about chief minister change in the state after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, citing an alleged "power-sharing" agreement involving Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023.
"We will abide by the high command decision. If they decide I should continue (as CM), I will continue. Ultimately, whatever the high command decides, I should accept it. Shivakumar should also accept it," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.
Asked if Shivakumar would become the CM, he said, "When I have said the high command will decide, you (reporter) are asking me the same thing again."
Stating that four-five months ago, the high command had agreed for a Cabinet reshuffle, but he had suggested that let the government complete 2.5 years in office, the CM said, "Now we will follow whatever the high command decides."
Asked whether there was an agreement for power transfer after 2.5 years of the government, he merely said, "Will abide by the high command's decision."
Siddaramaiah on Saturday held more than an hour-long meeting with AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence in Bengaluru.
The CM's meeting with Kharge had come after some legislators, about ten of them, supporting Shivakumar travelled to Delhi and met Kharge, as the Congress government completed 2.5 years in office on November 20.
Shivakumar, however, had then said he was not aware of legislators travelling to Delhi to meet Kharge.
Another batch of six Congress legislators backing Sivakumar has flown to New Delhi last night to meet Congress high command leaders, party sources said on Monday.
Few more legislators are likely to travel soon to pitch for Shivakumar as CM, they said.
Kharge, who is in Bengaluru, is scheduled to travel to Delhi, and Congress top leader Rahul Gandhi is likely to return from trip abroad, sources added.
While Siddaramaiah is pushing for a reshuffle of his Cabinet, Shivakumar wants the party to first decide on leadership change, party sources said.
According to several party insiders, if the Congress high command approves the Cabinet reshuffle, it would signal that Siddaramaiah will complete the full five-year term, which will scuttle the chances of Shivakumar from occupying the coveted post.
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'Warm and engaging atmosphere reigned', Shashi Tharoor on Putin banquet
New Delhi (PTI): Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who on Friday attended a banquet for Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, on Saturday described the atmosphere there as "warm" and "engaging", and said he enjoyed his conversations with many of the attendees.
Tharoo’s remarks came a day after President Droupadi Murmu hosted a banquet for the visiting Russian president at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here.
“Attended the @rashtrapatibhvn banquet for President Putin last night. A warm and engaging atmosphere reigned. Enjoyed my conversations with many of the attendees, especially my dining companions from the Russian delegation!" Tharoor said in a social media post.
Murmu, while welcoming President Putin and his delegation at the banquet, had said that his visit marked an important milestone -- the 25th anniversary of the India-Russia strategic partnership, which was established in October 2000 during his first visit to the country as president.
Murmu also appreciated Putin's support and personal commitment to the India-Russia special and privileged strategic partnership.
The Congress on Friday said that the leaders of the opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, were not invited to the banquet, and took a swipe at Tharoor for accepting the invite.
The party’s media and publicity department head, Pawan Khera, accused the government of breaking protocols daily and not believing in democratic principles.
“There is no invite to both the LoPs, Mr (Mallikarjun) Kharge and Mr (Rahul) Gandhi. This comes as a surprise, but I don't think we should be surprised. This government is known to be breaching all protocols. What else to say, ask the government,” Khera said on Friday.
Asked about Tharoor accepting the invite for the banquet, Khera said, "Ask Mr Tharoor. All of us who are in the party, if our leaders don't get invited and we get invited, we need to question our own conscience and listen to our conscience. Politics has been played in inviting or not inviting people, which in itself is questionable, and those who accept such an invite are also questionable."
“We would have listened to our voice of conscience,” he added.
Earlier, Tharoor had said that there was a time when the chairman of the external affairs committee was routinely invited, but that practice seems to have stopped some years ago.
On Thursday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the government tells visiting foreign dignitaries not to meet the leader of opposition due to its "insecurity".
His remarks came hours ahead of Putin's two-day visit to India.
