'Whatever Congress high command ...': Karnataka's Siddaramaiah drops hint on demand for 3 dy CMs

NEW DELHI: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said the final decision regarding the proposal for having three deputy CMs in the state would ultimately rest with the Congress high command. The statement by the CM comes amidst discussions within the Congress party about adding more deputy CMs to the current setup, where DK Shivakumar is the sole deputy CM.
"Whatever the high command decides is final," the Karnataka CM said.
Currently, D K Shivakumar from the Vokkaliga community is the sole deputy chief minister in the Siddaramaiah cabinet.
A faction within the Congress believes that the recent calls from ministers for three additional deputy chief ministers are part of a strategy by chief minister Siddaramaiah's camp to curb the influence of the current deputy CM, DK Shivakumar.
Ministers close to Siddaramaiah, including co-operation minister KN Rajanna, housing minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, and public works minister Satish Jarkiholi, have reiterated their push for more deputy CMs.
Initially, the Congress leadership had assured that Shivakumar would be the only deputy CM following intense competition between him and Siddaramaiah for the CM role after the Assembly elections.
Shivakumar, also the state Congress chief ,however expressed his dissatisfaction with these renewed demands, stating that the party would address the issue appropriately.
"You people (media) put in news if someone says something. Why should I say no to people who are happy (by appearing in news)... Let anyone make any demand, the party will respond to them appropriately. Simple," Shivakumar said.
When questioned about the possibility of appointing additional deputy chief ministers, DK Shivakumar responded by deferring to the party leadership, saying, "You please meet Mallikarjun Kharge (AICC president) and our in-charge general secretary or ask the chief minister."
( with input from agencies)