Kharge should have become CM a long time ago - HD Kumaraswamy

BENGALURU/CHINCHOLI: In the thick of the ongoing 'Siddaramaiah for CM' commotion, yet another uproar is being stirred up by HD Kumaraswamy, the chief minister of Karnataka. Kumaraswamy claims that the Dalit Congress veteran Mallikarjun M Kharge was subject to injustice, as, according to Kumaraswamy, he should have got the CM's post a long time ago. Sharing a stage with Kharge at a public rally in Chincholi on Tuesday night, Kumaraswamy said, "Kharge has not been given recognition for all the work he has done for the Congress".

After some Congress MLAs and ministers demanded Siddaramaiah be made CM, a clash had been set in motion between Siddaramaiah and state JD(S) president AH Vishwanath. In an attempt to calm the storm, Siddaramaiah had declared that he will not contest the next assembly polls and in fact does not aspire to become the CM. Kumaraswamy had proclaimed that no matter what the Lok Sabha poll outcome is, he will complete a five-year term and his government will press on. "BJP leaders are busy setting deadlines for the fall of my government. The latest is May among party leaders that the CM should take up a national role in the event of the Mahagathbandhan forming a government at the Centre, leaving the chief ministership to the Congress. In such a scenario, sources said Kharge could be the possible choice since it would allow the party to hit two birds with one 23. Nothing will happen. In fact, my government will get stronger as it's enjoying the strong support of Congress leaders like Kharge and Siddaramaiah," said Kumaraswamy. A JD(S) source said that it is too early to draw conclusions from Kumaraswamy's statement on Kharge, and an idea was brought up after deliberation, which is to prevent Siddaramaiah from staking a claim and give JD(S) the credit for giving Karnataka its first Dalit chief minister.