No CM face in Karnataka? Congress to contest polls under collective leadership
1 min read 02 Jul 2022, 08:34 AM ISTThe message of collective leadership comes amid ongoing political one-upmanship between Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah over their chief ministerial ambitions
PremiumSenior Karnataka Congress leader G Parameshwara on Saturday said the party will face the state assembly polls scheduled for next year under a collective leadership.
Parameshwara also ruled out the speculation that he was sulking over being sidelined in the party and planning to join the BJP.
The former deputy chief minister, while replying to a question on his chief ministerial aspirations, said that the party high command will decide in this regard, when the Congress comes to power in the state.
“Our (state) president D K Shivakumar has said it will be collective leadership...we will go (for polls) under collective leadership," Parameshwara told reporters while responding to the question whether Congress will face the 2023 assembly polls under Siddaramaiah (Congress Legislature Party leader) or Shivakumar’s leadership.
Stating that there is nothing to be surprised about several leaders in the Congress being in the race for the chief minister’s post, Parameshwara said there are several senior leaders who have served the party for decades and it is natural for them to have a desire.
Post detailed deliberations and discussions with the Karnataka leaders in the national capital, the Congress has decided to move under a collective leadership to win the upcoming State Assembly polls.
Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar and Congress legislative party leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accompanied by other leaders held meetings with the top leadership of the party at the residence of party MP and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi that went on for two days, in order to chalk out future strategies for the upcoming polls. AICC Karnataka in charge Randeep Surjewala was also present in the meeting.
One of the factions of state leadership wants that the party should not declare face for the Chief Ministerial candidate and should go with collective efforts in the upcoming elections, said news agency ANI quoting party sources.
The Assembly elections in Karnataka are slated for early next year.
