Bengaluru, May 23 (). Days after the swearing-in ceremony in Karnataka, a spat between the Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar camps between the chief minister’s loyalist and cabinet minister M.B. Patil claimed that Siddaramaiah would remain the chief minister for the entire five-year term.
Patil on Tuesday clarified that he did not make any personal comment on the issue. He said, I have reiterated what senior leaders had announced in the press conference.
Patil claimed on Monday night that Siddaramaiah would complete his five-year term. There has been no talk about power sharing and Siddaramaiah will be the chief minister for the next five years, he said.
The Congress high command is also maintaining silence on this issue. But, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s camp says that a 30:30 power-sharing formula was agreed upon between Siddaramaiah. According to the formula, both will become CM for 30-30 months.
Though the power-sharing formula is being widely discussed, an official announcement is yet to be made.
Last week, when CM Siddaramaiah was asked about the power-sharing formula, he retorted to reporters, “Where does he get the confirmation?”
M.B. Patil said on Tuesday, I will not repeat my words again and again. Yesterday (Monday) the media asked whether Siddaramaiah would be replaced as CM. Our leaders had announced that Siddaramaiah is the CM and Shivakumar is the Deputy CM. I have reiterated what AICC Secretary KC Venugopal had said in the press conference.
He reiterated, I have not given any opinion personally. I do not have any statement to make in this regard.
Sources said there is a cold war going on between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar’s favorite MB Patil. Patil, who belongs to the Lingayat community, was a contender for the post of Deputy Chief Minister.
MB on Sunday After seeing Patil talking to Siddaramaiah while he was giving a speech at the Congress headquarters, Shivakumar had openly asked MB Patil not to disturb him.
Shivakumar is yet to react to Patil’s statement of sharing the CM post.
PK/ANM
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