Minister wants Congress to emulate BJP model of 3 Deputy CM posts in Karnataka

Bengaluru:Though, president of All India Congress Committee (AICC) Mallikarjun Kharge made it clear to the State leaders that there was no proposal to make 3 Deputy Chief Ministers post in Karnataka obut Minister for Cooperation K.N. Rajanna on Wednesday stated that “There will always be his continued support pressing for the creation of 3 DyCM posts.”

Presently, president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee D.K. Shivakumar is the lone Deputy Chief Minister in Karnataka government. It may be recalled here that it is not for the first time that Rajanna has pressed for 3 DyCM posts and continued to speak in public on party issues despite warnings from president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee D.K. Shivakumar to initiate disciplinary action against leaders airing views on party matters.

After Rajanna's statement created ripples in the Congress party, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar held a meeting with Rajanna and coming out of the meeting, Rajanna declined to reveal what transpired at the meeting. But, he said that creation of 3 DyCM posts should not be misunderstood and that he is opposed to D.K. Shivakumar nor speaking on behalf of other leaders. Rajanna stated that "I stand by my statement (on creation of DyCM posts)."

Earlier, Rajanna told reporters in Bengaluru that he suggested to the general secretary of All India Congress Committee and Karnataka incharge Randeep Surjewala on the need to create 3 DyCM posts on the lines of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which has created 3 DyCM posts in newly formed State Governments in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan which could come in handy to win in about 20 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka.

So far, Rajanna said, the proposal to make 3 DyCM posts has not yet been made to the president of All India Congress Committee.  

The Minister questioned “Has anybody opposed the suggestion of 3 DyCM posts?” and added that “It means that silence is half consent (from the Ministers/leaders).”

He stated that the idea of creation of 3 DyCM posts would benefit the Congress party in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls and asked whether denial of creation of 3 DyCM posts would be a setback for the Congress party in Lok Sabha polls, Rajanna said to react on it in coming days.

Reacting to Rajanna’s statement, president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar declined to comment on the statement made by Rajanna and told reporters to get an answer from Randeep Singh Surjewala.

When contacted, Randeep Singh Surjewala stated that “All these things are flimsy while the party is into more substantial things.”