DK Shivakumar says ‘I am single-man majority’ ahead of Karnataka CM decision
As Siddaramaiah said he has the support of more MLAs, DK Shivakumar said one man with courage makes a majority.
Making the strongest pitch for the chief minister's post, Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar on Monday said he is a single-man majority and does not want to comment on the numbers he has as his support. "I don't want to disclose what happened in the last 5 years. Someday, I will disclose. I did not lose heart when our coalition government collapsed and many MLAs left," DK Shivakumar said as he skipped his New Delhi visit citing a stomach infection. Siddaramaiah already reached the Capital where the party High Command will take the decision of choosing one between DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah. On Sunday, the MLAs decided to authorise Mallikarjun Kharge to name the chief minister.
After Congress won Karnataka with a sweeping majority, now the race is for the chief minister's post as both Siddaramaiah, a veteran Congress leader and a former chief minister, and DK Shivakumar, a charismatic leader with mass appeal, are rightfully claiming the top job - projecting a picture of unity between them. Read | Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah: Allies on campaign trail, contenders for CM’s chair
"One man with courage makes a majority," DK Shivakumar said in an apparent reply to Siddaramaiah's claim of more MLA support.
"Under my leadership, we have 135 MLAs and all of them in one voice said that the matter will be left to the party high command. I don't have any personal number (of MLAs backing him for the CM). Whatever I have is the Congress number. I assured Smt Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge that my aim is to deliver Karnataka to the Congress party and I did it," DK Shivakumar said. Read | 'Many times stood with...': DKS on reports of row with Siddaramaiah over CM post
DK Shivakumar also evaded questions on a Rajasthan-like situation repeating in Karnataka in Siddaramaiah vs DKS race, Shivakumar said Mallikarjun Kharge has stakes in the state, and Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi have trust in the Congress leaders of the state.
Siddaramaiah versus DKS for the CM post was not unexpected but the battle intensified after the MLAs did not elect any one and left the crucial decision with the High Command. Ahead of the election, the Congress released videos of the two leaders exchanging their thoughts on the election.
