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Congress disciplinary panel calls for meet after 4 MLAs project Siddaramaiah as CM candidate
K Rahman Khan
Days after some Congress MLAs projecting Siddaramaiah as party’s Chief Minister candidate in the 2023 Assembly elections, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) disciplinary committee chairman Rahman Khan has called for a meeting.
Bengaluru: Days after some Congress MLAs projecting Siddaramaiah as party's Chief Minister candidate in the 2023 Assembly elections, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) disciplinary committee chairman Rahman Khan has called for a meeting. It is learnt that the KPCC disciplinary committee has taken seriously Bengaluru MLAs Zameer Ahmed Khan's public statement on CM candidate if the Congress returns to power in the coming elections.
Ever since D K Shivakumar took the reins of the Karnataka Congress, there has been a ceaseless speculation as to who would be the CM candidate of the party. There is a clear rift in the Congress, with the loyalty of cadres and MLAs divided between the KPCC chief and former chief minister Siddaramaiah. The party sources claim that the differences between the two camps are now out in the open, but the high command has advised everyone to focus on the 2023 elections instead of the chief minister post.
Chamrajpet MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan, a week ago, made a statement that Siddaramaiah would be the next CM if the Congress won election and soon three more MLAs -- Basavaraj Hitnal from Koppal, JN Ganesh from Kampli and Bheema Naik from Hagaribommanahalli -- openly endorsed it. This came as a potential threat to the party's unity two years ahead of the elections. Not pleased by the statements of the MLAS, the disciplinary committee headed by former MP and Union minister Rahman Khan has called for a meeting to send a stern warning to other party functionaries that resorting to such tactless public statements would attract disciplinary action. The KPCC feels that this talk about CM candidate is unnecessary as the elections are still two-and-a-half years away and the matter is something that only the high command would take a call.
Zameer raised the issue at a function in Bengaluru which was attended by Siddaramaiah. During his speech, the MLA said he would prefer to call Siddaramaiah "as future CM of the State, not former CM".
However, he hastened to add that, "The party will face the 2023 elections under collective leadership. The high command and the legislators will choose the CM."
State Congress president DK Shivakumar directed his party colleagues to refrain from projecting chief ministerial candidates. "It is his (Zameer Khan) personal opinion and that the party has nothing to do with it, adding that the party leaders and workers should be mindful of speaking negatively against anybody,"
The Chamrajpet MLA has often referred to Siddaramaiah as the next chief minister. A loyal aide of Siddaramaiah, Zameer recently stated that he was willing to give up his Chamrajpet constituency for Siddaramaiah and that he would ensure election of Siddaramaiah as chief minister a breeze by ensuring his victory by a margin of 70,000 votes.
