Koppal (Karnataka), Nov 25 (NationPress) Amidst growing concerns within the ruling Congress party, Basavaraj Rayareddy, a six-time MLA and the Economic Advisor to the Chief Minister, firmly dismissed any notions of a power-sharing agreement in Karnataka, asserting that CM Siddaramaiah will serve his complete five-year term.

Rayareddy underscored his commitment to challenge any efforts to replace the current Chief Minister.

In an interaction with the press, Basavaraj Rayareddy openly questioned the validity of any private arrangements, stating, “If there are agreements amongst themselves regarding power sharing, should these be regarded as contracts?”

He highlighted that Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president D.K. Shivakumar has not officially claimed the chief ministerial position.

Addressing procedural norms, he noted, “Any changes must be discussed in the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting. If they suggest adjustments, I will inquire about the necessity of these changes. If they claim a prior promise was made, I will further probe why it wasn't communicated earlier.”

He further asserted that personal understandings between individuals do not constitute formal agreements. He stated there is no discord between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar, alleging that there is a deliberate effort to destabilize the Congress-led administration.

“As far as I know, Siddaramaiah will continue as CM for the full five years. That’s my expectation,” Rayareddy affirmed.

The CM’s economic advisor remarked that Siddaramaiah was sworn in as Chief Minister on May 20, 2023, with majority support in the Congress Legislature Party meeting. He questioned, “If he was elected with the backing of most members, why should there be talks of replacing him now?”

“Claims of discussions taking place have surfaced, but were we ever informed? At no point have we mentioned that Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar would share the chief minister’s role on a half-term basis. As things stand, Siddaramaiah is the chief minister for five years. While Shivakumar has expressed his desire to ascend to the chief minister role, it is natural for his supporters to mention his name and seek the position,” Rayareddy elaborated.

He also noted that there are no factions within the Congress party and no separate groups favoring Siddaramaiah or Shivakumar. All members are part of the Congress, he emphasized. It is typical for any leader to aspire to hold the chief ministerial or ministerial positions.

“There is no awareness of any proposal suggesting Siddaramaiah's resignation now that the government has reached its halfway point,” he mentioned.

“Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has the support of all Lingayat MLAs and their community. Has anyone from the Lingayat community called for his ousting? All notable seers of the community have recently blessed him. Siddaramaiah embodies socialist values and adheres to the teachings of Basavanna. He upholds Basavanna’s principles more than any other Lingayat leader, which is why all Lingayats, including myself, support him,” he concluded.