Senior Congress MLA Shamanuru Shivashankarappa
Davangere (Karnataka): Senior Congress MLA Shamanuru Shivashankarappa on Wednesday said he will also be in the contest for the Chief Minister post if the legislators support him, in the event of leadership change in Karnataka.
The 93-year-old, however, said the incumbent CM Siddaramaiah is running a good administration and added: “let him continue until he has the blessings of the high command.”
“There is no question of senior or junior in politics. Whomever majority of the elected legislators support, high command says yes to them, that’s the practice. If the situation comes, I will also contest, I won’t leave,” Shivashankarappa told reporters.
His son, S S Mallikarjun, is a Minister in the Siddaramaiah Cabinet, while daughter-in-law Prabha Mallikarjun is Davangere MP.
“I said, I will, the legislators should first accept and support me,” he said when asked if he is in the race being the senior-most MLA.
Shivashankarappa joined the list of party leaders weighing in for the Chief Minister’s post in the event of leadership change in Karnataka, while maintaining that the incumbent will continue in the position.
As Siddaramaiah’s petition challenging the Governor’s sanction for his prosecution in a site allotment case is being heard in the High Court, some Congress leaders seem to be preparing for a race to become CM, in case of leadership change.
Making it clear that the Chief Minister post in the state is not vacant for anyone to weigh in to occupy it now, Siddaramaiah on Wednesday asserted that there are no doubts in this regard and he will continue in the position.
