There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar for the Chief Minister's post (File)
A Vokkaliga seer publicly urged Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to step down and make way for his deputy DK Shivakumar amid a power tussle within the ruling Congress in the state.
The seer's appeal came amid a growing demand within the Siddaramaiah cabinet to have three more Deputy Chief Ministers from the Veerashaiva-Lingayat, the SC-ST, and the minority communities.
Vishwa Vokkaliga Mahasamastana Math seer Kumara Chandrashekaranatha Swamiji raised the pitch for Dk Shivakumar at the Kempegowda Jayanti event in Bengaluru to commemorate the birth anniversary of the city's founder in the presence of Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar on stage.
DK Shivakumar, also the state Congress President, is a Vokkaliga - a dominant community in the southern parts of the state. Currently, he is the only Deputy Chief Minister.
"Everyone has become Chief Minister and has enjoyed power. But our DK Shivakumar has not become the Chief Minister. So the request is, Siddaramaiah, who has experienced (the post), should please give up the power to our DK Shivakumar in the future and bless him," Chandrashekaranatha Swamiji said.
Addressing the gathering, he said: "Only if Siddaramaiah makes up his mind, can this happen. Else it won't. So with 'namakaras', I request Siddaramaiah to make DK Shivakumar the Chief Minister."
Reacting to the seer's appeal, Siddaramaiah said, "Congress is a high command party... this is a democracy. We will follow whatever the high command says."
DK Shivakumar too reacted and said, "Things have been said... We both (him and Siddaramaiah) are travelling to Delhi to discuss with MPs from the state about the state's projects (pending approval from the Centre)."
There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar for the Chief Minister's post after the declaration of assembly election results in May last year, and the Congress managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy Chief Minister.
There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational chief minister formula," according to which DK Shivakumar will become Chief Minister after two-and-half years. But the party has not officially confirmed them.
While Mr Shivakumar has made no secret of his ambition to become Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, to strengthen his position, sought public support during the Lok Sabha polls so that the Congress would win the maximum number of seats in the state.
A section within the Congress believes that ministers seeking three more Deputy Chief Ministers was part of a plan by Siddaramaiah's camp to keep DK Shivakumar in check amid talks he might seek the Chief Minister's post after two-and-half years of this government's tenure. It was also done to counter DK Shivakumar's influence both in the government and party.
Leaders in DK Shivakumar's camp seem to have started coming out openly in support of their leader. On Wednesday, Channagiri Congress MLA Basavaraju V Shivaganga urged the party to make DK Shivakumar the Chief Minister.
Co-operation Minister KN Rajanna, considered close to Siddaramiah, said, "Who will give up (the position)? Just because he (the seer) asked, can it be given up? Let the seer give up his position. I will become Swamiji. Ask him if he will give up. No one will give up... I don't know with what intention the seer has said things. In a democracy, he has the right to speak."
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said the seer might have shared his personal opinion but has nothing to do with the post, as the Chief Minister is elected following a process involving the political party and its legislators.
Agriculture Minister Cheluvarayaswamy, reacting to Swamiji pitching for DK Shivakumar, said: "That time may also come. The party and the high command along with MLAs will decide. Swamiji has said his opinion. The party will ultimately decide. DK Shivakumar is the party president and someone who has a commitment towards the party more than anyone else."
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka said that "this development" proves there is a divide within the government and proves the BJP's claims that this government will not survive for long.
"As far as I know, at a government programme such a humiliation had never happened to a sitting Chief Minister, who heads the government," he said, stating that Siddaramaiah should resign and "go home."
Calling the seer's comment a strategy by DK Shivakumar to counter Siddaramaiah, R Ashoka pointed out that the Chief Minister's camp has been making statements demanding three more Deputy Chief Ministers.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)