My statement on power sharing pact between K’taka CM, Dy CM true: BJP’s Ashoka
Bengaluru: Referring to the statement made by former Union Minister and veteran Congress leader Veerappa Moily, who said that no one can stop Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar from becoming the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka stated on Monday that this confirms the existence of a power-sharing agreement between Shivakumar and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Ashoka said, “Veerappa Moily’s statement has brightened the face of Deputy CM Shivakumar. Moily is well-aware of the intricacies of the power-sharing agreement. There is a power-sharing deal for 2.6 years between the CM and the Deputy CM. I had initially spoken about this arrangement.”
On the other hand, a Congress MLA has also claimed that Shivakumar will take over as CM in December.
“I had predicted that CM Siddaramaiah would be replaced in November. When I made that statement, Shivakumar asked if I was an astrologer and even joked that he would come to me to learn more about it. CM Siddaramaiah, however, has dismissed these claims,” Ashoka added.
Commenting on the situation, Ashoka said, “As these developments unfold, CM Siddaramaiah is reportedly experiencing knee pain. A religious seer has stated that Siddaramaiah will not give up his position easily. Shivakumar once joked on the floor of the Assembly that his astrologer told him he would have to resort to force to gain power and that it wouldn’t come to him easily. Now, we must wait and see how Shivakumar manages to secure the CM’s chair.”
He further alleged, “CM Siddaramaiah is set to take on the highest loans in the state’s history, ensuring that when Shivakumar becomes the CM, he will be forced to quit due to financial mismanagement. This ongoing power struggle has completely collapsed law and order in the state. The administration has also fallen apart, and there has been no significant development.”
Meanwhile, despite these claims, CM Siddaramaiah has continued to assert that he will remain in office for a full term, dismissing concerns about the state’s political uncertainty.
Former Union Minister Veerappa Moily, speaking at a party function in Udupi on Sunday, announced that no one can stop Shivakumar from becoming the Chief Minister. Moily made this statement in Shivakumar’s presence, further emphasising that the decision to hand over the CM’s post to Shivakumar had already been made.
“I was the one who gave Shivakumar the party ticket to contest the MLA election for the first time. He has groomed himself into a successful political leader, and it is a matter of great joy,” Moily had stated.
Moily advised Shivakumar stating, “You must not react to anything. There will be statements against you, but you should not be concerned.”