Are There Many Aspirants for K'taka CM's Post? Parameshwara Responds

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Numerous aspirants for Karnataka's CM position
- Power-sharing agreements influence leadership decisions
- Collective opinion vital in candidate selection
- Informal gatherings foster party unity
- Congress high command's authority remains dominant
Bengaluru, Oct 13 (NationPress) In light of the evolving Chief Ministerial dynamics within the Congress-led government in Karnataka, State Home Minister G. Parameshwara remarked on Monday that numerous individuals are vying for the Chief Minister position in the state.
Addressing the media in Bengaluru, Parameshwara stated, "Anyone could potentially step into the Chief Minister role. Are you aware of how many contenders there are for the CM position? There are quite a few. Once the Congress high command makes a decision on this matter, we will accept it. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and CM Siddaramaiah (who aims to maintain his position) are leading the pack, while several others, including myself, are positioned behind them. That's the reality of the situation."
He further elaborated, "I don’t believe there is a direct relationship between the 2.5-year term and power-sharing. After the party secures victory, the leader of the Congress Legislature Party or the Chief Ministerial candidate is selected based on a collective consensus from all party MLAs. Observers from the Congress high command gather opinions and relay them back. The individual with the majority will be declared the Chief Minister of the state," he continued.
"Siddaramaiah has previously been elected as Chief Minister twice through this process. The late former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna also went through a similar selection. Currently, the perspectives of Congress MLAs must still be taken into account. If the party high command decides that gathering opinions from legislators is unnecessary and opts for its own decision, we will comply with that as well. This is precisely why it is referred to as the Congress high command," Parameshwara added.
He also clarified that his previous remarks regarding potentially becoming the Chief Minister of Karnataka were made in a casual context.
Regarding the dinner meeting hosted by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah earlier on Monday, Parameshwara mentioned, "The Chief Minister routinely invites Ministers for dinner gatherings every three to six months. These dinner events are also organized during Legislative sessions. Numerous Ministers hold dinner gatherings at the banquet hall of Vidhana Soudha."
"In this context, the dinner meeting called by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is not a significant issue in my view," he concluded.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and BJP MP Jagadish Shettar, while addressing a gathering in Hubballi, questioned whether Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar would assert that CM Siddaramaiah will complete a full five-year term.
He expressed that Siddaramaiah is convinced of an impending change in leadership, highlighting that discussions regarding the shift in CM's position have already commenced.
"A power-sharing agreement exists between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, which is why the topic of leadership change is being debated. Shivakumar consistently maintains that the final decision rests with the Congress high command," Shettar commented.