Senior Congress legislator and Administrative Reforms Commission Chairperson R.V. Deshpande on Sunday reignited the conversation around the chief ministerial post by expressing his wish to become the Chief Minister.
“I have been a Minister several times and I am tired. Now, if I have to become something, I should become the Chief Minister. In life, everyone will have ambition. Is it not? But you should not run behind it,” Mr. Deshpande told presspersons in Mysuru when asked if he was an aspirant to get into the Cabinet.
Asked if he would want to become the Chief Minister if the high command allowed, he said: “Mr. Siddaramaiah has to permit it. I would have said whether I need it (the Chief Minister’s post) or not when the question would arise. Currently, such a question does not arise,” the senior lawmaker said.
His comments came when his attention was drawn to conversations in the political circles around the change of Chief Minister. “It (the change) is far from the truth. Such thoughts are not in the party nor with the high command. Mr. Siddaramaiah is the Chief Minister and he will continue to be so. He will be the Chief Minister for five years. You (the media) also should not ask such questions. Do not ask me such questions. Leave me,” he said. When it was pointed out that he was actually senior to Mr. Siddaramaiah, he said: “Yes by age I am senior to him by about two years.”
Responding to such remarks of Mr. Deshpande, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said there was nothing wrong with a veteran leader like Mr. Deshpande aspiring to become Chief Minister.
Meanwhile, Housing Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan told presspersons in Hubballi that it is quite natural for everyone to have an ambition to become the Chief Minister. “However, the post should be vacant to become one. Now the post is not vacant. Mr. Siddaramaiah is the Chief Minister and he will continue.” When asked if the Chief Minister was scared due to the allegation over irregularities in MUDA site allotment, Mr. Khan said: “He is not scared. He is a tagaru (ram) and strong.
