Will abide by high command's decision: CM Siddaramaiah on leadership change

Mysuru, Sep 3 (IANS): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Tuesday, said that he will abide by the decision of the party high command and MLAs amid talks of his replacement from the top post.

The CM said this while answering questions from the media personnel in his hometown Mysuru.

Reacting to the statement of former minister and senior leader R.V. Deshpande that he is ready to take over the Chief Minister’s post in case of replacement, CM Siddaramaiah said, "How will the CM be made? Party MLAs and high command will decide in this regard. Whatever decision they take, I will abide by it.”

When the media teased him with a question that how looked fresh after a long time even as the BJP was claiming that he was looking dull in the wake of the MUDA case, CM Siddaramaiah laughed and said, “The opposition has lied in the matter. If their lie is not proven, it is going to be difficult for them. I have not told lies, nor have I issued false statements and I have not made any mistake.”

Replying to a question on the Congress government's allegedly using a report on Covid by the judicial commission against the BJP, CM Siddaramaiah stated that the report submitted to the government in this regard is going to be placed before the cabinet on Thursday. “I don’t know about the recommendation of the commission. We will look into it.”

BJP MP and former state Health Minister K. Sudhakar has claimed that the report was being used as a political weapon by the Congress. “One should not worry too much when his role is not there. Why is he desperate? How can they know that it is a false report? Pass comments once the report is in the public domain. BJP MP Sudhakar is guilty and he is mentally disturbed, he knows he is guilty,” said the CM.

Reports have claimed the Commission has found that a Rs 7,000 crore scam was committed by the previous BJP government during the Covid pandemic. Reacting to this, the CM said that he did not know anything about it. “My allegations over the handling of the Covid pandemic and corruption before the report is a different matter. After placing the report in this regard in the cabinet we will initiate action.”

On the question of the suspension of MUDA's former commissioner, the CM stated that he did not know about the suspension and was not aware of what was written in the order. “When the commission is appointed to probe the MUDA scam, the report submitted by it would be considered,” he maintained.

Answering a question on the opposition by the Mysuru royal family member Pramoda Devi Wadiyar regarding holding the meeting of Shree Chamundeshwari Kshetra Development Authority, CM Siddaramaiah said that it is being done as per the orders of the court. “We have to follow court orders and not the instructions of the MP,” said the CM on BJP MP Yaduveer Wadiyar's letter dubbing it as an illegal move.