Siddaramaiah will be CM until Cong high command decides otherwise: Parameshwara
Mysuru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday said Siddaramaiah will be the chief minister of the state, until the Congress high command decides otherwise.
He said, according to him the high command has not decided anything on CM change till now.
The senior leader from the Dalit community, also played down the demand from some sections that he should be made the CM, by stating that it is up to the high command to decide.
ALSO READ: Time will answer when I will become CM, says Shivakumar
Responding to a question while speaking to reporters, he said, "The high command is watching everything, and when they feel there is a need, they will decide. They may be of the opinion that there is no such situation now, hence they have not said anything so far on the issue".
Asked whether Siddaramaiah will be the CM for a full five-year term, he said, "Who made Siddaramaiah the CM? It is the high command, and until the high command says that Siddaramaiah will remain in the post".
"As far as I know, the high command has not decided anything on CM change till now," Parameshwara said, adding that he is also not aware of any such agreement regarding rotational CM, after the 2023 Assembly polls.
"Siddaramaiah was declared as the CM, following the election to choose the leader of the Congress Legislature Party, after the Assembly polls. There was no proposal on any change mid-term. Accordingly, Siddaramaiah is the CM and is preparing for the state budget, which he will present next month," he further said.
These comments have come amid the power struggle between CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar over the top post once again coming to the fore, with the former's son Yathindra insisting that his father will complete his five year team, with the party high command having given signal in this regard.
The leadership tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about a possible change of chief minister after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, 2025.
The speculation has been fuelled by the reported "power-sharing" arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar at the time of the government formation in 2023.
Responding to a question on Yathindra's statement, Parameshwara said, he might have made the statement based on the information he has.
"Ultimately, whatever the high command decides is final, what I or someone else says doesn't matter. Depending on the situation, if there is need, the high command will tell their decision," he said.
Ruling out any confusion within the ruling party on the leadership issue, he further said, "there was a Congress Legislature Party meeting recently, if there was any confusion, the issue would have been raised, and the question would have been asked to the CM and Deputy CM."
Asked about the demand for the cabinet reshuffle, he said it is left to the discretion of the CM, and after discussion with the high command, he will decide if there is a need to carry out the exercise.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
TMC's reign of terror prevails in West Bengal: Rahul
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday strongly condemned the killing of party worker Debdeep Chatterjee allegedly by TMC goons, and said his party will not bow before this politics that stains India's non-violent tradition.
Chatterjee was brutally murdered in Asansol during post-poll violence. He was closely associated with Asansol North Congress candidate Prasenjit Puitandi, the party claimed.
The worker was attacked and beaten by those linked to the ruling All India Trinamool Congress and succumbed to injuries shortly thereafter, the West Bengal Congress alleged.
"The murder of Congress worker Debdeep Chatterjee by TMC-affiliated goons after the elections is utterly reprehensible. My deepest condolences to the grieving family," Gandhi said in a post on X.
"In West Bengal today, it is not democracy but TMC's reign of terror that prevails. Intimidating, attacking, and eliminating opposing voices after votes are cast -this has become the defining character of TMC," Gandhi also said.
He said the Congress' politics has never been based on violence, nor will it ever be.
"We too have lost our workers, yet we have always chosen the path of non-violence and the Constitution. This is our legacy, this is our resolve. "The demand is clear -immediate arrest of all the guilty, the harshest punishment, and grant full security and compensation for Debdeep's family," the former Congress chief said.
"We will not bow before this politics that stains India's non-violent tradition. Justice will be done," Gandhi said.
The West Bengal Congress, in a post on its X handle, said this tragic incident exposes the complete collapse of law and order in the state and raises serious questions about the safety of opposition workers in West Bengal.
"The fact that such violence has occurred immediately after polling highlights a deeply disturbing pattern of political intimidation and vendetta," it said.
The Congress stands firmly with the bereaved family and demands immediate arrest of all those responsible for this heinous crime and a fair, impartial, and time-bound investigation. It also said adequate compensation and protection for the victim's family.
"It is deeply concerning that even an FIR had not been registered at the time of reporting, further indicating administrative apathy in the face of such a grave incident.
"The Indian National Congress reiterates that democracy cannot survive in an atmosphere of fear and violence. We will continue to raise our voice against such atrocities and fight to ensure justice for every victim," the party said.
The Congress said the murder of Chatterjee by goons associated with TMC is highly condemnable and termed it a direct attack on democracy.
"Democracy in West Bengal has ended, and TMC's reign of terror continues. Silencing and subduing opposing voices through violence has become TMC's hallmark. We demand that the culprits be arrested immediately and given the harshest possible punishment. We will not allow the democracy of our country to be destroyed by these anti-people forces," the Congress said.
