Priyank Kharge says ’ready to be Chief Minister’ if party high command asks

mangaloretoday.com

Bengaluru, Nov 03, 2023: Karnataka IT minister and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s son Priyank Kharge has said he would agree to take the chief ministerial post in the state if the party high command asks him to.

 

Responding to reporters on a question about becoming the Chief Minister, Kharge on Friday said, "The High Command should say, if they ask me to become the Chief Minister, I will say yes."

On Monday, Kharge hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and alleged a section of "desperate BJP leaders" may have sought Rs 1,000 crore from Union Home Minister Amit Shah to topple the Congress government in the state.

Kharge’s remarks came in the wake of Mandya Congress MLA Ravikumar Ganiga alleging that a BJP team had approached four of the Congress MLAs and offered them cash of Rs 50 crore each and a ministerial berth if they switched to BJP.

Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah, the present Chief Minister of Karnataka, on Thursday asserted he would hold the office for a full five years.

The clarification came in the wake of speculation within a section of the ruling Congress about a change in leadership after two-and-half years of this government’s tenure.

Asked to give clarity on whether he would head the government for a full five years, he said, "For five years our government will be there...I’m the chief minister, I will continue."

Siddaramaiah was sworn in as Chief Minister on May 20 this year after the Congress posted a landslide victory ousting the BJP from power.

Courtesy: India Today