Congress high command decision will be final on who will be CM, will abide by it: DK Shivakumar

New Delhi [India], June 27 (ANI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said on Thursday that he would abide by the decision of the Congress High Command regarding the change of the Chief Minister in the state.

Speaking to reporters in Delhi, he said, "Some people are overly enthusiastic. It is natural for such words of appreciation in politics, but we should not take it seriously. Party decision will be final on that." He was referring to the demand of Vokkaliga pontiff Chandrashekaranatha Swami to make him the CM during the Kempe Gowda Jayanthi event in Bengaluru on Thursday.

At the 515th birth anniversary of Bengaluru founder Kempegowda, Chandrashekaranatha Swami publicly asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to step aside and hand over power to DK Shivakumar.

After Congress won the mandate in the last Assembly election, both Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah had staked claim over the chief minister's post. After many round of talks, Congress leadership decided to choose Siddaramaiah for the chief minister's post. There has been talks of power sharing agreement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar but the party has never publicly acknowledged it.

Asked about Minister K N Rajanna's statement that he was ready to relinquish his ministership to become the KPCC President, he said he would respond to that later.

Asked about his Delhi visit, he said, "I will be meeting the newly elected MPs from Karnataka to discuss pending central projects in State. It is necessary to bring up issues pertaining to the State and put pressure on the Centre. We will instruct the MPs to fight the land, water and language of the State." (ANI)