'Dark Horse' Mallikarjun Kharge will become Karnataka CM: MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal
Predicts ‘November Revolution’ within Congress state unit
Belagavi: Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, expelled BJP MLA, has predicted that the Congress party will undergo a major political shift and that Mallikarjun Kharge, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) head, will be Karnataka's next chief minister.
Alleging that there is intense lobbying within the state unit of the Congress for the CM’s post, Yatnal said, “There will be a November revolution in the state unit of the Congress. Those lobbying for the chief minister’s post will not get it. Instead, Mallikarjun Kharge will become the chief minister.”
Yatnal, who called Kharge a ‘dark horse’, also said, “Kharge is waiting to become the chief minister. Once his name comes up, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Minister Satish Jarkiholi, and others will withdraw from the race.”
Taking a swipe at senior Congress leaders, Yatnal claimed that Minister MB Patil had organized a conference in Bengaluru with people brought in from Vijayapura due to fear that Satish Jarkiholi might be elevated to the CM’s post. He alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also had sought blessings from religious leaders to strengthen his position.
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Ready to face no-confidence motion, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah
Hassan (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that the Congress government led by him was ready to face the no-confidence motion if moved by the opposition during the legislature session from December 8.
With Deputy CM D K Shivakumar by his side, he reiterated that they would both abide by the high command's decision on the leadership issue.
"Let them (opposition) bring in a no-confidence motion or adjournment motion or any other motion. We are ready to face it. Ours is an open book, transparent government. We are ready to face anything," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question.
However, BJP state President B Y Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, clarified that the party, along with the JD(S) has not discussed or decided anything so far regarding moving a no-confidence motion against the government.
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The winter session of the Karnataka legislature will begin in Belagavi, bordering Maharashtra, on December 8 and will go on till 19th of this month.
Not wanting to react to a question on the leadership issue, the CM said the Congress high command is very strong.
"D K Shivakumar and I will be committed to whatever the high command decides," he said.
Earlier in the day in Bengaluru, Shivakumar accompanied AICC Mallikarjun Kharge till airport from Vidhana Soudha, after paying tributes to B R Ambedkar on his 69th death anniversary, which had led to some speculation about possible discussion between the two on the leadership issue.
The power tussle within the ruling party had intensified amid speculation about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.
However, both the CM and Deputy CM had recently held breakfast meetings at each others residences, on the instructions of the high command, which is seen as a move to pause the leadership tussle between the two and to signal Siddaramaiah's continuation as the CM for the time being, especially ahead of the Belagavi legislature session.
