Bengaluru, May 26: K.N. Rajanna, a close aide of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress MLA from Madhugiri, stated on Tuesday that there will be no change in the Chief Minister’s position, dismissing any discussions on the matter.
Speaking to reporters at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, Rajanna rejected rumors about a leadership change, explaining that meetings held in Delhi were likely focused on cabinet reshuffles and the upcoming Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council elections.
He recalled attending an international cooperative banking conference in New York about six months ago. “Many leaders have gone to Delhi now. Some may aspire to become ministers, while others might want to be Chief Minister. However, I have no such aspirations,” he clarified.
Further elaborating on the political developments, Rajanna mentioned that discussions regarding the Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council elections likely took place. Additionally, he noted that the Chief Minister had informed opposition leader Rahul Gandhi about potential cabinet changes. The situation will become clearer once the Chief Minister returns from Delhi.
When asked if he would accept an offer for a ministerial position, Rajanna responded, “If I am offered the position, I will accept it. If not, I will have no regrets.”
It is noteworthy that on Tuesday, the Congress high command downplayed the leadership tussle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar amid the Karnataka Congress crisis.
After a marathon meeting at Indira Bhavan in Delhi, national leaders emphasized that discussions were solely focused on the upcoming Rajya Sabha and other elections. They also declined to answer media questions during the briefing.
K.C. Venugopal stated that AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, and he were involved in the discussions. “Today’s discussions were only about the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections and Karnataka Legislative Council elections,” he added.
He dismissed the media’s speculations as mere conjecture, asserting that there was no truth to them. “We only discussed the Rajya Sabha and Karnataka Legislative Council seats today.”
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