Belagavi, 8 Dec

Senior Congress MLA KN Rajanna on Monday said he will not be part of a DK Shivakumar-led Cabinet in case the latter becomes the Karnataka Chief Minister, amid speculation about the leadership change.

Asserting that Siddaramaiah was elected as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) through a secret ballot and the leadership issue cannot arise until he resigns, the former minister pitched for Home Minister G Parameshwara, a Dalit, for the coveted post, in case of change of guard.

"I will not be part of his (DK Shivakumar) Cabinet if he becomes (the CM)," Rajanna said in response to a question by reporters here.

Asked about the leadership change issue, the former minister, who is close to CM Siddaramaiah, said the CLP leader was elected by the MLAs through a secret ballot for five years. "If he (Siddaramaiah) resigns from the CLP leadership, then the question of a new candidate will arise. Till such time, there is no such thing," he said.

The power tussle within the ruling party had intensified amid speculation about a change in Chief Minister in the State, after the Congress Government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on 20 November. The speculation was fuelled by an alleged "power-sharing" agreement involving Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reiterated that he will abide by the Congress high command's decision on the leadership change issue in the state.

The CM has been repeatedly stating that he and the Deputy CM, DK Shivakumar, will go by what the high command decides.

"We will go by whatever the high command decides," Siddaramaiah told reporters while answering a question on his son Congress MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah's statement that there is no question of a leadership change.

Earlier in the day, Yathindra claimed that the high command has said that there is no leadership change in the state.

"I have been saying this, which is not new. I feel that, as of now, there is nothing like leadership change. I hope that he (Siddaramaiah) will complete his five-year term," Yathindra told reporters at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha here.

On being asked about Siddaramaiah being asked to come to Delhi in January, Yathindra said the high command calls the chief minister to discuss various issues.

Yathindra also admitted that there was confusion over the leadership issue as “The deputy Chief minister was asked whether he wants to be the CM. The high command said that they will not decide it now."

Yathindra said the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) elects a candidate for a definite term.