Bengaluru, February 18 – Amid ongoing speculation about a possible leadership change in the Karnataka Congress, party MLA H.D. Ranganath, who is considered close to Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, said on Wednesday that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would clarify the issue at an appropriate time and would not back down on his commitments.
Responding to Shivakumar’s recent statement that Siddaramaiah would address the people of the state on the leadership issue at the right time, Ranganath said the Chief Minister has a long history of keeping his promises.
“Our Chief Minister has not gone back on his word in the past 50 to 60 years of political history. If there is any agreement regarding power-sharing, he will inform the people of the state. Party workers are expecting clarity, and the people are also waiting for a response,” he said.
Ranganath added that in the coming days, Siddaramaiah would hold discussions with the party high command and respond to all questions regarding the leadership issue. “We believe he will not go back on any promise. He himself will answer the people of the state at the appropriate time. If there is any agreement regarding power-sharing, he will clarify it. In this context, we are maintaining restraint,” he said.
Reacting to a recent remark by Minister H.C. Mahadevappa, who reportedly indirectly compared MLAs loyal to Shivakumar to "tails of dogs," Ranganath said such comments were unexpected from a senior leader. He said the minister's position demanded dignified language and that the media should seek clarification from Mahadevappa himself regarding the comparison.
Ranganath sarcastically pointed out that the Congress had won 80 seats in 2018 and said Mahadevappa had played a significant role in the party’s victory in the 2023 Assembly elections. “If he is confident of leading the party to victory again, we are ready to stand behind him,” he said.
On the recent foreign trips undertaken by some Congress legislators, Ranganath said there was nothing unusual about such visits. “Politics will always be present. The Chief Minister is engaged in budget preparations. Some MLAs may want to learn from foreign countries, and there is nothing wrong with going on a foreign trip. No one invited me to join them,” he said.
He reiterated that any final decision on the leadership question would rest with the party’s central leadership. “In our party, the high command takes the decision, and we will abide by it,” he said.
The Karnataka Congress crisis over the leadership tussle deepened after Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar stated that a decision has already been taken and that CM Siddaramaiah will convey it at an appropriate time. These remarks, made on Tuesday, are likely to create ripples within the ruling Congress party in the state.
Shivakumar had said, “Regarding the matter of leadership, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and I have discussed it. You will get an answer at an appropriate time regarding the leadership decision.”