A day after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar returned from Delhi after discussions over Lok Sabha poll preparation, the demand to have three more Deputy Chief Ministers has resurfaced.
Congress sources said that the demand made publicly by Cooperation Minister K.N. Rajanna on Friday came after a dinner meeting with some of his Cabinet colleagues, including Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi and Home Minister G. Parameshwara on Thursday night. On Friday, Mr. Rajanna acknowledged that they had met, but it was to discuss general politics and specifics of the meeting would be divulged at the right time.
Currently, Mr. Shivakumar is the only Deputy Chief Minister, and the demand coming from Mr. Rajanna, a close follower of Mr. Siddaramaiah is being seen as a counter balance to Mr. Shivakumar ahead of the polls.
Mr. Rajanna, who had earlier stirred tension within the Congress by demanding more Deputy Chief Ministers, again reiterated the demand ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. He said that having three more such posts to represent more communities would help the Congress perform well in Lok Sabha elections. The Minister said that they would convey the same to the Congress central leadership.
“We are planning to meet AICC General Secretary in charge of Karnataka Randeep Surjewala once he returns from the U.S. to convey our feedback. We will accept whatever decision is taken by them,” Mr. Rajanna told presspersons here.
