Who's next Karnataka CM if Siddaramaiah goes? Congress leaders debate

Bengaluru: Sugar and Textile Minister Shivananda Patil’s remarks that Industries Minister M B Patil will have to wait to become chief minister, has triggered a debate on who will be the next CM in the state if Siddaramaiah steps down.

In his rebuttal, M B Patil told reporters that if the party high command wishes, anyone can become CM. In Belagavi, a social media campaign has kicked off in favour of Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi that he will be the next CM if Siddaramaiah steps down.

Although all ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, and the party central leaders, including Congress general secretary K C Venugopal and Karnataka In-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, have come in full support of Siddaramaiah ever since the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam has come to light, the debate over who will replace him has not stopped.

The issue has only picked up the pace after Siddaramaiah has only picked up greater pace after Siddaramaiah challenged the Governor’s sanction for his prosecution in the ‘MUDA scam’ that is being heard in the High Court since last month.

Shivanand Patil on Friday had said that there were several senior leaders in the Congress waiting for their turn to become CM and M B Patil will have to wait for his turn.

“I am not in the race to become CM. Though I am not opposed to his (MB Patil) wish of becoming CM. I am just saying there are more senior leaders than him who are waiting for their turn, likewise he too will have to wait for his turn,” he added.

However, Industries Minister M B Patil on Sunday shot back and asserted that if the party high command wishes anyone can become CM.

“I am also a strong contender for the CM post. If seniority is a yardstick, then I will be the  CM from Vijayapura district as the Sugar minister (Shivanand) has joined Congress after being in Janata Dal and BJP. So, he will have to wait much longer than me from Vijayapura. I will be CM much before him and as long as I don’t become CM, none from Vijayapura can become CM, because I am the senior most Congress leader,” he explained and added that he aspires to be the CM but not ‘greedy’ to replace Siddaramaiah.

“As long as Siddaramaiah is there I  have not thought of replacing him as CM,” he clarified.

While in Belagavi, a banner with portraits of former BJP minister Ramesh Jarkiholi and Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi have come up as a part of Ganesh festival celebrations, in which supporters of ‘Jarkiholi clan’ have stated that if Siddaramaiah steps down, Satish should replace him. This picture of the banner has gone viral on various whatsapp groups in Belagavi.

Reacting to this development, Satish told reporters in Belagavi that Merely a banner or poster cannot be a deciding factor.

“I am certainly in the race for CM’s post but I am eyeing that post in the 2028 Assembly election and not in the near future. Siddaramiah will continue as CM,” he asserted.