Bengaluru, Feb 5 (IANS) The crisis within the Congress government in Karnataka resurfaced again on Thursday as the Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar’s loyalist and Channagiri party MLA Sivaganga Basavaraj, urged the party high command to resolve the leadership issue in the state.

Speaking to reporters in Davanagere, MLA Basavaraj said, “It was earlier stated that both leaders (Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar) would be called to Delhi on February 2. However, since the Assembly session was extended till February 4, the meeting was postponed. The Congress high command will call them again. I do not know the exact reason for summoning them, but I believe it is related to our statements on the Chief Minister’s position.”

“It appears that the Congress high command is calling them to resolve the issue. Things will become clear once the leaders reach Delhi and attend the meeting. There is no need to continue this confusion. I do not know whether there is any power-sharing agreement. If there is one, the Congress high command should make it clear,” he added.

“It is my stand that Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar should be made the Chief Minister of Karnataka. I took my oath of office in his name. I became an MLA because of Shivakumar and I stand firmly with him. There is no question of backtracking on my position. However, if the Congress high command clarifies that there is no power-sharing arrangement and that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will continue, that is also acceptable. Even if a new party leader is made the state’s Chief Minister, it is fine. The high command should put an end to the confusion. It does not look good to publicly discuss internal party matters,” Basavaraj said.

“In another two or three days, the Congress high command may call them (Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar) to Delhi,” he added.

“Our (Congress) government is running well and has delivered good governance in Karnataka. We have the support of 140 Congress legislators, and there is confidence that the Congress will return to power in the next state Assembly elections as well. Due to internal conflicts, the Bharatiya Janata Party managed to win only 60 Assembly seats. There is no doubt about the Congress-led government returning to power in the state,” Basavaraj said.

“I request the Congress high command, through the media, to immediately call the Deputy Chief Minister and the Chief Minister of Karnataka and end the discussions that have been going on for a long time. This will strengthen the party. The budget is scheduled for next month. They should be called within a day or two and the matter should be resolved at the earliest,” he added.

“I will be happy if Shivakumar becomes the Chief Minister of Karnataka. If the Congress high command states that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will continue and there will be no leadership change in the state, we will welcome that decision as well,” he said.

Responding to MLA Basavaraj’s statement, State Public Works Department Minister Satish Jarkiholi said, “This is not about the opinion of one individual. Everything has to be decided by the Congress high command. All 140 party MLAs want the confusion to be cleared. I also feel that the leadership issue should be resolved soon. That is the wish of everyone.”

Meanwhile, Congress sources said: “The MLAs are demanding that the local body elections are approaching and the high command should intervene to resolve the matter. MLAs are confused about whom to follow while facing elections. Even though the issue has been discussed with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, no concrete decision has been taken so far.”

Sources also added that Congress legislators are in a dilemma.

“If MLAs approach Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar’s faction reportedly get upset, and if they approach Shivakumar, the Siddaramaiah faction reacts negatively.”

–IANS

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