Congress MLA Vitthala Katakadhonda staked his claim for a minister post in Karnataka, asking for the CM post to be discussed. CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy DK Shivakumar met to project unity, stating they will abide by the high command’s decision.
Amid the leadership tussle within Congress in Karnataka, Congress MLA from Nagthan, Vitthala Katakadhonda, asserted his claim for a ministership on Saturday. The MLA said he is also an aspirant for a ministerial position and emphasised that the CM post should be discussed in the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting, with the high command expected to take a timely decision.
Vitthala Katakadhonda emphasised that he is confident that the high command will make a decision as soon as possible. “I am also an aspirant for the ministerial post. I can be given the ministerial post under the SC’s forge. The CM post should be discussed in the CLP meeting and the high command should take a decision. It would be appropriate to take a decision on the CM post as soon as possible,” Vitthala said.
CM, Deputy CM Project United Front
Meanwhile, after an hour long breakfast of Idli-Sambar and Upma on Saturday morning, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his Deputy DK Shivakumar reaffirmed cohesion and unity within the Congress party saying that both the leaders have decided to follow whatever will be the decision of the party high command and resolve any “confusion”.
“We have decided that we will follow whatever the high command says. There will be no confusion from tomorrow. There is still no confusion. Some media reporters have created the confusion,” CM Siddaramaiah said during a press conference.
CM Siddaramaiah had called his deputy for a breakfast meet earlier today at his Cauvery residence, with both of them holding a “productive meeting” to discuss the state’s priorities, and the “road ahead.”
Talking about the breakfast meeting, the Chief Minister said that they both “just had breakfast” after Congress’ General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal asked Siddaramaiah to invite DK Shivakumar and A S Ponnanna. According to CM, they discussed their agenda for the 2028 elections and the upcoming local body elections.
“Our agenda is the 2028 elections. Local body elections are important. We discussed them. We also discussed bringing back Congress in the 2028 elections. We discussed that we will go together. There are no differences between us and there will be no differences in the future,” he said.
“We have discussed together that we will go together like we did in the 2023 election. We don’t have any differences and there will be no differences even in future. We work together,” the CM added.
Meanwhile, Deputy CM Shivakumar reaffirmed the CM’s sentiment, saying that they are looking to fulfil the wishes of the people of the state. “We have to fulfill their wishes. In that direction we are working. What the party high command decided we are working,” Shivakumar said during the press conference.
While both leaders appeared amicable during their brief interaction, the ball is firmly in the Congress High Commands court now. The party leadership of President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi are expected to meet the two leaders as well as other MLAs and take a decision on the leadership issue. (ANI)
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