Karnataka minister and Congress MLA Priyank Kharge on Friday said that it is the party high command that makes the decision on who should be the Chief Minister of the state, and if the high command asks him to become the CM of Karnataka, he will follow suit.
“If High Command asks me to become CM, I will say yes,” Priyank, who is the son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, said.
His remarks come on the backdrop of Mandya Congress MLA Ravikumar Ganiga alleging that a BJP team had approached four of the Congress MLAs and offered them cash to the tune of Rs “50 crore each” and “a ministerial berth”, if they defected to BJP.
Ravikumar, popularly known as ‘Ganiga Ravi’, who represents the Mandya Legislative Assembly, further alleged that NR Santhosh, former political secretary of former CM and BJP leader BS Yediyurappa, is approaching Congress MLAs and making offers.
On Monday (October 30), Kharge had hit out at the BJP alleging that a section of state BJP leaders may have sought Rs 1,000 crore from Union Home Minister Amit Shah to topple the Congress government in the state, reports Deccan Herald.
Meanwhile, on Thursday (November 2), Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asserted that he would hold the office for a full five years.
The clarification came in the wake of speculation within a section of the ruling Congress about a change in leadership after two-and-half years of this government’s tenure.
“Who has made the confusing statement? If someone useless speaks, why do you give importance to it” Siddaramaiah told reporters here, when he was asked about repeated confusing statements from those within the party about CM change, as quoted by PTI.
Asked to give clarity on whether he would head the government for a full five years, he said, “For five years our government will be there…I’m the chief minister, I will continue.”
Siddaramaiah was sworn in as chief minister on May 20 after the Congress posted a landslide victory ousting the BJP from power this year.